Stuart Clark believes selectors will take a holistic approach to deciding the quicks to partner Mitchell Johnson in the Ashes opener.

Clark is fighting it out with Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and Brett Lee for the two or three remaining sports in the pace battery, but insists wickets in the early tour games will not guarantee selection.

He says the make-up of the side will come down to the right team balance and the right bowlers for specific tasks.

"I'm not sure they will go down the path of blokes being rewarded for wickets," Clark said shortly before departing for England on Monday night," he said.

"It will be about displaying certain qualities of your bowling style, which is going to be important come the Test matches.

"If I bowl well (in the tour games) and don't get any wickets that probably won't rule me out.

"There will be a real understanding of what's happening. We'll all want to bowl, we'll all want to get wickets and someone will get wickets and someone won't, but given that you are bowling well you are just as much chance as anyone."

Asked how he viewed the fast bowling shoot-out, the unflappable Clark replied: "A lot's been made about how competitive it's going to be - it's going to be competitive for each and every one of us but there will be no animosity or nastiness between the players.

"I'm hoping (my) experience, my sort of bowling in their conditions (will work in my favour).

"Mitchell Johnson's the only guy that can guarantee himself a spot. We're all competing for the other spots on the team and I'm as ready as ever."

It will be Clark's first Ashes tour and, at the age of 33, most likely his last.

But he is just as animated as rookie team-mate Phil Hughes, about to enter what is set to be the first of many Ashes battles.

"I'm as excited as I've ever been for a cricket trip," Clark said.

"They (England) are the old enemy, the arch-enemy, and for me this is what cricket is all about.

"This is the pinnacle. The Ashes series is what I grew up watching and what I believe is the purest form of the game and the one I enjoy the most."

Forever compared to Glenn McGrath for his unrelenting line and length bowling, Clark was reluctant to go down his former team-mate's road in predicting the series outcome before a ball is bowled.

Asked if he was willing to forecast the series scoreline, Clark laughed: "No, No", before uttering "3-1" with a smile.