Hazlewood cleared from injury but Abbott ruled out of Ashes Test

Josh Hazlewood cricket action

Josh Hazlewood has taken 295 international wickets with an average of 24.21 during his 76-Test career

Published half an hour ago

Hazlewood received clearance to become part of the Aussie lineup ahead of the opening Ashes match following fitness concerns, but fellow pace bowler Abbott has been ruled out

Both suffered muscle problems during their match for NSW in the Victoria clash in domestic cricket this past Wednesday

Tests indicated Hazlewood, 34 escaped muscle damage. Abbott, 33, who hasn't played Tests, sustained a "moderate grade" injury

Team captain Cummins is out of the opening Test, commencing later this month, meaning the absence of a key pace option in Hazlewood would have been a significant setback

Abbott would have been doubtful to feature at the Perth match, as Hazlewood prepares to team up Starc and Boland as the specialist seamers

Cummins, currently healing from a back injury, is expected to be scheduled to reappear during the next Test commencing December fourth

Top-order player Smith takes over leadership in Cummins' absence

Similar to most Australian cricketers, Hazlewood is involved in ongoing fixtures of Sheffield Shield matches in preparation for the historic rivalry

Until this match, he was absent from domestic first-class games with his state team for over twelve months

He felt tightness in his leg muscle during the final stages of the match on Wednesday and left the field for safety reasons

Both players batted in their team's second batting effort during their defeat in a substantial margin

"We're a week away before the international cricket - we consistently choose precautionary measures," said Cummins

"They wanted to find out the nature of the problem ahead of risking and potentially making the condition"

"Uncommon to see him upbeat, so it was good to see him smiling"

"He's aware of his condition really well. I think he was a little bit worried (and desired medical assessment"

The bowler collected 57 appearances representing Australia in limited-overs formats

The yet-to-debut Brendan Doggett represents additional pace options within the team, offering support to the main pace trio

Bradley Johnson
Bradley Johnson

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