The Ashes

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Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he would "definitely" pick spinner Shoaib Bashir for the first Ashes Test in Perth if he were in England's camp.

England have included Bashir, 22, in a 12-strong squad for the series opener with the final decision seemingly between the off-spinner and pacer Brydon Carse.

The fast and bouncy nature of the Perth surface, plus Bashir's limited cricket since breaking a finger in the summer, has led some to some suggest England should include Carse and Mark Wood in an all-pace attack.

Ponting, though, pointed to the success of Australia spinner Nathan Lyon in Perth. Lyon averages 20.86 with the ball at Perth Stadium.

"If you think about the way [Bashir] bowls and releases the ball, it is not dissimilar to Nathan Lyon," Ponting told Channel 7.

"He is taller and gets over-spin. What has Lyon been able to do in Perth and Brisbane? Lyon has a great record in those venues.

"If I am them I am definitely going in with the spinner."

Ponting also suggested the injuries to Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins may mean Australia pick both of their all-rounders in Cameron Green and Beau Webster to shore up their bowling.

"If England target Nathan Lyon early in the game or target Scott Boland they might need someone else they can call on," Ponting told SEN.

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The Test Match Special podcast is out and about in Perth for reaction to England naming their 12-man squad for the first Ashes Test.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has his say on where the first Test could be won, England bowler Gus Atkinson speaks to the pod and chief cricket reporter Stephan Shemilt and TMS commentator Simon Mann dissect England's group.

We also hear from Mitchell Starc and discuss how Australia could line up after he suggested he will bat at number eight.

Download and listen here

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The pitch for the first Ashes Test will be "exactly the same" as the fast and bouncy surface at the iconic Waca, says the chief curator.

The series opener. which begins on Friday, will be the first Test between England and Australia played at the Perth Stadium with the Waca no longer used for men's Tests.

It features a drop-in pitch that is produced off-site from the same soil as the surface at the previous ground, which was one of the quickest in the world.

"Pace and bounce is what we pride ourselves on," Isaac McDonald told the BBC.

"That comes from our wicket soil, which is exactly the same as the Waca."

Drop-in pitches are common in Australia where stadiums host other sports, such as Australian Rules Football (AFL).

While there has not been a Test against England, Perth Stadium has held five previous Tests.

The data suggests that balls pitching just short of a good length reach the batter at an average of 1.04m, exactly the same as the Waca and the second-highest in the world.

"It is exactly the same soil used," McDonald said. "The base of it is identical.

"The only difference is it is in a big steel tray and gets dropped in by a big crane. The characteristics are exactly the same."

• What can England expect in Perth? Your ultimate guide to the Ashes grounds

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England "have the tools" to win the Ashes series in Australia but "have to win in Perth", says former captain Michael Vaughan.

The first Test begins on Friday in Perth with England looking to win the urn down under for the first time since 2010-11.

They have named a settled squad with the only decision remaining being whether to include Mark Wood in an all-out pace attack or pick their spinner in Shoaib Bashir.

"England arrived here in 2010-11 with a top seven that had played consistently," Vaughan told the BBC.

"This top seven has played together for a period of time now.

"They have played great at times, disappointed at times, but know their roles.

"I am genuinely excited because you look at the tools required to win down here and they have them."

Australia are more unsettled with two uncapped players - opener Jake Weatherald and bowler Brendan Doggett - in line to make debuts on Friday.

The hosts are also without Pat Cummins, their Ashes and World Cup-winning captain, and fellow bowler Josh Hazlewood because of injury.

"[Cummins] has that incredible mentality," Vaughan said.

"When they have needed a wicket it is generally him who gets the wicket. Josh Hazelwood in white-ball cricket has been Australia's standout bowler.

Scott Boland has a record [in Australia] up there with the greats, Mitchell Starc is one of these modern greats and Brendan Doggett is the star in domestic cricket.

"Australia have enough to cause a bit of damage but England have a great chance. They have got to play great disciplined cricket and win the moments."

Vaughan added: "Australia went 1-0 down to India here last year and came back.

"England have to win in Perth. You look at 1986-87 when they won here, they got off to a good start. 2010-11, they got off to a decent start - [a draw] in Brisbane.

"It will be very difficult to come back from going 1-0 down here."

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Australia all-rounder Cameron Green says he does not mind where he bats in the XI as long as he is in the team.

Green's fitness to bowl is key to the structure of Australia's team.

If he is fit he will likely slot in at number six and take the place of fellow all-rounder Beau Webster.

If Green is unable to play a full part with the ball, Webster could retain the spot at number six meaning Green bats at three and Marnus Labuschagne moves up to open.

"We have got such a well-rounded team that there are lots of great combinations," Green told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.

"I am just happy to be a part of the team. That is the goal, to play Test cricket."

Green is also of note for being the only player under the age of 30 in Australia's XI. He insisted it is a "good thing".

"It is probably the unique thing about this team," Green said.

"You look around the world and there is plenty in their mid-20s.

"It is something I am pretty used to.

"The added benefit is they are so experienced and know their games back to front. It is a good thing."

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Ben Jones
CricViz Analyst

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Stuart Broad was right to hold his hands up and suggest he struggles to know how to get out Steve Smith.

In Australia, England's legendary seamer averaged 103 bowling to Steve Smith, getting him out just twice in almost 100 overs. It's fair to say that with the Kookaburra ball, he never worked the Aussie legend out.

To be fair to him, he's not alone. Since the 2013-14 Ashes which marked his arrival as a top tier batter, Smith has faced 94 bowlers in home Tests.

Only nine of them have managed to get him out more than twice, and only four of those have managed to do it at an average less than 30: Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj. Across a generation, nobody has 'worked him out'.

It's understandable. In Australia, Smith has dominated away swing (averaging 70) and inswing (averaging 92). Against balls on his stumps he averages 21, which may seem low but is still considerably better than most players. Against spinners, he's averaged 83. There aren't any obvious silver bullets.

High pace hasn't been a huge weakness. Against deliveries up above 87mph, his average still sits the right side of 50. However, it is showing signs of falling as he grows older - in the last five summers, he averages just 30 against high pace. An optimistic English fan could say Mark Wood and Jofra Archer have a sniff of unsettling him.

Ultimately, though Smith may not seem it, he is human. His weakness against pace, statistically, is the same as everyone else - good length balls in the channel.

In the last five Australian summers, if you hit a good length (defined as 6-8m from the stumps) as a seamer bowling to Smith - regardless of swing, seam, speed - you average 23. That zone where the batter cannot confidently come forward or back is still the key.

Get the line right as well, the classic couple of feet outside off, and you gain control as well, his strike-rate falling to just 13.

This England side have rarely been lauded for their patience - Ben Stokes' captaincy is far more about making constant changes and asking different questions of batters - but it may still be your best option against a batter of Smith's class.

As well as training at the Perth Stadium on Tuesday, England's players also posed for their customary pre-series photo shoot.

There was the classic team shot on the outfield, another which reminded of Peaky Blinders' Shelby family and what England fans will hope is not the last time Ben Stokes has his hands on the Ashes urn this winter...

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