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The tourists have left decisions open for the initial Ashes match by including spin bowler Shoaib Bashir in a twelve-player team together with five pace bowlers

Mark Wood is declared fit and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Western Australia on the weekend, with the last selection possibly coming down to spinner Bashir and fast bowler Brydon Carse

Wicket Factors

If the visitors select an all-pace attack - four main pacers plus multi-skilled player Stokes - it would possibly be the most rapid assembly of seamers they have used in an Ashes match in this country

Recently local wicket preparer McDonald said to anticipate "speed and bounce" from the surface at the venue, and it seems likely England will stick to a established strategy of an pace-only strategy

However the English team have also spotted a lack of moisture to the surface, bringing the off-spinner into consideration

Slow Bowling Factors

In the short history of the ground - five earlier Tests have been staged here - Australia spin bowler the experienced spinner is the top wicket-taker with 29 dismissals

England have favored the young spinner, 22, as their main slow bowler for more than a year and in May he achieved the youngest England bowler to reach 50 wickets in Tests

However he has not played a first-class game after claiming the final wicket in a thrilling win over India in the third Test at the famous ground in July

Recent Issues

He has been recovering from a hand problem and found it difficult in England's only warm-up match against the Lions, recording overall statistics of two wickets for 151 runs from 24 overs

It also raises the scenario of him playing in an Test against Australia without being attached to a domestic team

His contract at Somerset expired at the finish of the English season

Expected Selection

However, an England team containing Wood, Archer, Gus Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes and Carse - all of whom are able to achieve high speeds - remains the probable result

The opening match commences at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with live text coverage, specialist radio coverage and live action clips available

England Squad

Team lineup for initial Ashes match: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (leader), Smith (gloveman), Gus Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

While a several successful Ashes campaigns at home and abroad have been founded on quick bowling, they have never fielded as numerous fast bowlers in the same team

The team that won at in England in the celebrated contest of 2005 included Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

The captain's successful touring team to the host nation in those years had Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that succeeded in 1954-55 contained Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Modern Context

This time around - potentially the most exciting Test series in recent years - England are looking to change an poor history - they have not won a Test in Australia since over a decade ago

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have experienced a Test in Australia, but Atkinson comments that could work in England's favour

"This could represent an positive," he explained to the press

"There are a lot of players who have stated they have had some tough times down under

"Regarding our team, we are a very relaxed, highly optimistic team

"No negative experiences

"It's very exciting

"Everyone considers it a great possibility to create history"

Opposition News

Australia's training on recently was briefly delayed by the threat of lightning

The hosts are probably going to give a debut to opener Jack Weatherald, with uncapped seamer Doggett also coming in due to health issues to captain Cummins and fellow seamer Hazlewood