England spared WACA Johnson revival

England have been spared a reprisal of the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash with Mitchell Johnson reportedly turning down the chance play in the tour-opening match in Perth this weekend.

Johnson had been asked if he wanted to open the bowling against England for the Western Australia XI this weekend as part of his KFC Big Bash League preparation, but declined according to a report in The West Australian newspaper.

Johnson destroyed England with 37 wickets in the 13-14 summer en route to an Ashes whitewash in a series that ended the international career of Kevin Pietersen and saw Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott exit mid-tour.

Johnson, who turns 35 today, recently committed to another season in the BBL with the Perth Scorchers, saying he had "unfinished business" in the tournament.

"I want to help the team go back-to-back and, given this is the last season at the WACA Ground, I really can't wait to get back out there and enjoy the atmosphere the amazing crowd creates," Johnson said.

The powerful quick was Perth's leading wicket-taker during BBL|07, and was the only bowler in the competition to record multiple maiden-overs. He recorded the most economical spell in BBL history with figures of 3-3 in the semi-final against Melbourne Stars last summer.

The WA XI to face England will have just two players with JLT Sheffield Shield experience – pace bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile and batsman Will Bosisto.

It will also feature rising talents Jake Carder and Clint Hinchliffe who both impressed with the Cricket Australia XI in this year's JLT One-Day Cup.

Although the opposition will be predominantly rising talent, England will enjoy the luxury of a warm-up match on a Test venue. They will have a second match on a Test venue when they face a Cricket Australia XI at the Adelaide Oval with the pink ball and under lights from next Wednesday in a four-day match, before another four-day fixture in Townsville ahead of the opening Gabba Test.

Coulter-Nile played his first Shield game in more than two years in the Warriors victory against Tasmania last weekend, bowling 15 overs with match figures of 4-41 and scoring a half-century.

"He hasn't played back-to-back first class games since 2015," WA coach Justin Langer said.

"We are mindful of this and want to ensure his return to this level of cricket is managed appropriately to give him the best chance this season.

"He is coping pretty well in his return from injury but he is still building up to the levels required for consecutive first-class matches."

England quick Steven Finn – added to the squad after allrounder Ben Stokes was suspended following a street brawl in the early hours of a Monday morning in Bristol for which he still remains under police investigation – is expected to front for the tourists and says he has a point to prove.

"When you're a late call-up to the squad and have been out of selection for the past six months or so, you definitely do have a point to prove," Finn said.

"It's not ideal circumstances to come into the squad (in that way). Obviously, I was naturally disappointed to miss out in the first place.

"But whatever the circumstances that you get called up into a Test squad - especially an Ashes squad over here - it's a very proud moment.

The Ashes is the pinnacle of what you can do as a Test match cricketer in an England shirt.

"Having that experience of winning that before and how good it felt and how much people got behind us when we did that, it's something we want to recreate."

WATCH the WA XI v England XI tour match LIVE on cricket.com.au or the CA LIVE app, or via BT Sport digital platforms for UK viewers

WA XI tour match squad: Nathan Coulter-Nile (c), Will Bosisto, Jake Carder, Tim David, Kyle Gardiner, Aaron Hardie, Clint Hinchliffe, Nick Hobson, Calum How, Lance Morris, Josh Philippe, Mark Turner.

CA XI tour squad: Jake Carder (WA), Jackson Coleman (Vic), Michael Cormack (SA), Daniel Fallins (NSW), Ryan Gibson (NSW), Nick Larkin (NSW), Simon Milenko (Tas), Tim Paine (Tas), Will Pucovski (Vic), Gurinder Sandhu (NSW), Jason Sangha (NSW), Matthew Short (Vic).

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Steven Finn, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21