Australia’s pace attack hit by double injury scare ahead of Ashes opener

Australia faced a double injury scare on Wednesday, with Josh Hazlewood undergoing precautionary scans in Sydney and fellow seamer Sean Abbott ruled out of the first Ashes Test.

The host side have already seen captain Pat Cummins ruled out of this month’s curtain-raiser in Perth due to back problems and would be sorely depleted should another core member of their pace attack go down.

Key man Hazlewood left the field with concerns over a tight hamstring on the third morning of New South Wales’ (NSW) Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria at the SCG and did not return after the lunch break.

He also failed to bat as NSW were bowled out for 125 chasing a distant target of 426 but Cricket Australia (CA) later moved to clarify that the 34-year-old had been cleared to link up with the Test squad as planned.

There was worse news for his state team-mate Abbott, pencilled in as a reserve bowler for the first Test but now on the shelf with a more serious hamstring injury of his own.

“Josh Hazlewood will join the Australian squad as planned in Perth ahead of the first NRMA Insurance Ashes Test,” CA said.

“Hazlewood left the field late in Victoria’s innings at the SCG today reporting tightness in his right hamstring. He underwent precautionary scans which have cleared him of muscle strain. He will train as planned in the lead up to the first Test in Perth.

“Sean Abbott also left the field having reported left hamstring soreness. Scans confirmed a moderate grade hamstring injury. He will not be available for selection for the first Test match in Perth and his return to play plan will be developed over the coming weeks.”

Cummins, speaking to reporters at a sponsorship announcement in Sydney, was optimistic about Hazlewood’s situation.

“I haven’t 100 per cent got across all the details but I think Joshy was pretty chipper when he got out (of the scan) so hopefully he should be fine,” he said.

“It’s rare to get him chipper, so it was good to see him smiling. He knows his body really well. I think he was a little bit worried, wanted to get it checked out. I only saw him briefly, but he was a bit happier afterwards.

“We’ll wait and see how it comes out over the next 24 hours. Hopefully it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.”

With Scott Boland already set to deputise for Cummins and the likes of Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson already sidelined, the uncapped Brendan Doggett would be next in line should further reinforcements be required at Optus Stadium on November 21.

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