England have adopted a conservative approach for their three-day tour match against the WA Chairman's XI, resting star batsman Kevin Pietersen, skipper Alastair Cook and paceman Stuart Broad.
Cook and Broad are battling back niggles, while Pietersen has been given more time to acclimatise to Australian conditions after linking up with the team late.
Spinner Graeme Swann has also been given a rest, but the match will go a long way towards deciding England's pace attack for the first Test at the Gabba, starting November 21.
Tall trio Boyd Rankin, Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett are effectively fighting it out for the final pace berth, and all three were selected for the tour opener, which begins at the WACA Ground on Thursday.
Classy speedster James Anderson was also selected, with wicketkeeper Matt Prior named captain in the absence of Cook.
Pietersen only arrived in Australia on Sunday after being given compassionate leave following the death of a friend.
Prior said the 33-year-old was in good spirits and ready to fire for the five-Test series.
"It was a tough time for Kev, but he's a tough character," Prior said.
"He's able to ditch things pretty quickly and move on.
"You can already see in the way he's preparing, you can see mentally he's getting into it and switching on for a big series.
"He's one of those exceptional players - a guy that can single-handedly turn a game on its head in an hour or so.
"Having Kevin in the team is a great confidence boost for us, and hopefully he'll have a great series and help us win."
Prior said the competition for spots between Tremlett, Finn and Rankin had benefited everyone within the team.
"Nets have been good fun at the moment with the big guys steaming in all playing for that place," Prior said.
"The batters have been hopping around a little bit."
Former Australian Test opener Geoff Marsh, who will coach of the WA Chairman's XI, said he was surprised England didn't unleash their full-strength batting line-up for the tour match.
"I look back on the last Ashes series and England played their top-six batters in all three (tour) games," Marsh said.
"And they played their top bowlers in two of the games and then sent them to Brisbane in their last game to prepare.
"And they really played well in that first Test match and prepared really well.
"It surprised me they're not doing the same. But at the end of the day it's their decision. They play a lot of cricket between then and now."
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