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England have maintained flexibility for the series opener by including spin bowler the young spinner in a squad of twelve combined with five fast bowlers

The fast bowler has recovered and is expected to participate facing the hosts in Western Australia on Friday, with the ultimate choice possibly involving the young spinner and fast bowler Brydon Carse

Wicket Factors

If the visitors select an pace-only bowling lineup - four main pacers plus multi-skilled player Stokes - it would arguably be the quickest collection of seamers they have fielded in an Ashes Test in Australia

Recently local wicket preparer the curator said to expect "pace and bounce" from the pitch at the venue, and it seems likely the English will follow a traditional approach of an exclusively pace attack

Yet the English team have also observed a arid quality to the wicket, bringing the spinner into consideration

Spinning Options

In the short history of this venue - five prior matches have been staged here - Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the top wicket-taker with twenty-nine

The English management have backed the young spinner, twenty-two, as their main slow bowler for over twelve months and in spring he became the most youthful English bowler to achieve fifty wickets in international Tests

But he has been absent from a official match following taking the last dismissal in a thrilling win over India in the third Test at Lord's in summer

Current Concerns

The spinner has been recovering from a hand problem and had challenges in England's only warm-up match against the Lions, posting combined figures of 2 for 151 from his bowling spell

It also raises the scenario of him competing in an Ashes Test without being attached to a county

His deal at his county concluded at the end of the home summer

Likely Lineup

Still, an England team including Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, skipper Ben Stokes and Carse - all of whom are able to achieve 90mph - stays the most likely outcome

The initial game begins at 2:20 AM GMT on Friday, with real-time updates, expert analysis and live action clips available

Team Selection

Team lineup for series opener: Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (gloveman), Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Historical Context

Even though a various successful Ashes campaigns at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have not previously used as multiple quick bowlers in the equivalent side

The lineup that succeeded at home in the famous series of 2005 included Harmison, Simon Jones and Flintoff

Illingworth's triumphant visitors to Australia in 1970-71 had Bob Willis, Lever and John Snow, and the England team that succeeded in that period contained Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

This time around - one of the most eagerly anticipated England-Australia contests in recent years - England are hoping to reverse an poor history - they have failed to win a Test in the host country since that year

Merely five individuals of the 16-man squad have participated in a Test in the host nation, but the bowler says that could work in England's favour

"This could represent an advantage," he mentioned to reporters

"There are a numerous athletes who have mentioned they have had some tough times down under

"For us, we are a extremely composed, highly optimistic group

"No scarring

"It's exhilarating

"The entire team views it as a huge opportunity to achieve something remarkable"

Host Team Situation

The host team's practice session on Wednesday was momentarily paused by the risk of storms

The hosts are expected to hand a first cap to opener Jack Weatherald, with new pace bowler Brendan Doggett also coming in due to injuries to skipper Cummins and teammate Hazlewood