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The English side has kept their options open for the series opener by selecting off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a squad of twelve combined with five seamers

Wood has been passed fit and appears likely to feature facing the hosts in Perth Stadium on the weekend, with the ultimate choice likely involving the young spinner and pace bowler Carse

Wicket Factors

If the visitors select an fast bowling unit - four main pacers combined with multi-skilled player Stokes - it would arguably be the quickest collection of seamers they have fielded in an Ashes match in Australia

Earlier this week Western Australia wicket preparer Isaac McDonald said to anticipate "fast and bouncy conditions" from the wicket at Perth Stadium, and it appears probable England will adhere to a long-standing plan of an exclusively pace attack

But the visitors have also spotted a arid quality to the pitch, placing the spinner into consideration

Slow Bowling Factors

During the brief existence of the ground - five prior matches have been played here - Australian spin bowler Nathan Lyon is the leading wicket-taker with twenty-nine

England have backed the young spinner, twenty-two, as their primary spin option for over twelve months and in recent months he became the least experienced English bowler to reach 50 wickets in Test matches

But he has been absent from a first-class game since taking the concluding scalp in a exciting triumph over India in the third match at Lord's in July

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been recovering from a hand problem and found it difficult in the sole practice game against the development squad, posting match figures of 2-151 from his bowling spell

This presents the prospect of him playing in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a domestic team

His deal at Somerset ended at the end of the home summer

Probable Team

However, an visiting team including Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse - all of whom are able to achieve 90mph - stays the most likely outcome

The opening match commences at 02:20 GMT on the weekend, with real-time updates, Test Match Special commentary and live action clips available

Team Selection

Selected players for first Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Atkinson, Carse, Mark Wood, Archer, Bashir

Past Experience

Even though a various English Ashes victories at home and abroad have been built on pace, they have not previously used as multiple quick bowlers in the same team

The team that won at domestically in the famous series of 2005 Ashes featured Harmison, Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's winning English side to the host nation in 1970-71 had Willis, Peter Lever and Snow, and the visiting team that succeeded in 1954-55 featured Statham and Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - one of the most eagerly anticipated Ashes series in recent memory - England are aiming to overturn an awful record - they have not won a Test in the host country since that year

Merely five individuals of the sixteen-player group have played a international Test in the host nation, but Atkinson says that could help the visitors

"It could be an benefit," he told the press

"There are a lot of players who have mentioned they have had challenging periods down under

"For us, we are a very relaxed, highly optimistic squad

"No bad memories

"It's exhilarating

"Everyone considers it a massive chance to create history"

Host Team Situation

The host team's net session on this week was temporarily interrupted by the threat of lightning

The home side are likely to give a debut to batsman Jack Weatherald, with yet to debut pace bowler Brendan Doggett also coming in after fitness concerns to skipper Pat Cummins and fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood