Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was sidelined on Saturday due to a hamstring injury, further undermining Australia’s bowling assault following the unavailability of captain Pat Cummins before of the Ashes opener against England.
Hazlewood was initially ruled out of a strain and was scheduled to go to Perth for the first Ashes Test after visiting the hospital for scans on a potential hamstring injury during a regional match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
However, subsequent tests revealed that the 34-year-old has a hamstring issue; Michael Neser will take his place.
“Early imaging can occasionally underestimate low-grade muscle injuries,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.
“As a result, Hazlewood will not travel to Perth and has been ruled out (of the first Ashes Test). Michael Neser has been added to the Australian squad for the first Test. Neser comes in to provide cover for Hazlewood and Sean Abbott.”
All-rounder Neser has participated in two Test matches for Australia, helping them defeat England by 275 runs in December 2021 and the West Indies by 419 runs in December 2022. Seven Test wickets have been taken by him. Brendan Doggett, a 31-year-old uncapped player, will probably make his Test debut in Perth due to Hazlewood’s injury.
Conversely, England was relieved that their pacer Mark Wood had been cleared of a hamstring problem. During an Ashes warm-up match on Thursday, fast bowler Wood left the field complaining of hamstring stiffness after bowling eight overs for an England XI against a second-string England Lions team.
“Following precautionary scans on Friday, England fast bowler Mark Wood has been cleared of any concerns regarding his left hamstring,” England’s cricket board (ECB) said in a statement.
“He is not expected to feature today – the third day of England’s warm-up match against the Lions XI at Lilac Hill Park, Perth. Wood will continue to train as planned in the build-up to the first Test in Perth.”
A knee ailment had kept Wood out of action since February, and he was looking to improve his match fitness in the warm-up match before the Ashes. Wood was one of England’s best bowlers in the 2021–22 series, taking 17 wickets.
For the five-match series that starts in Perth on November 21, the 35-year-old, who is among the fastest bowlers in the world of cricket, will spearhead England’s bowling attack, which also include Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson.
