Josh Hazlewood cleared of fitness concerns however Sean Abbott ruled out of Ashes Test

Josh Hazlewood cricket action

Josh Hazlewood has taken 295 Test scalps maintaining an average of 24.21 during his 76-Test career

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Hazlewood received clearance to join the Australian team ahead of the opening Ashes match following fitness concerns, but fellow pace bowler Abbott has been ruled out

Each encountered muscle problems during their match for New South Wales in the Victoria clash in domestic cricket recently

Tests indicated Hazlewood, 34 did not sustain a muscle strain. Abbott, 33, who hasn't played Tests, sustained a "moderate grade" injury

Skipper Pat Cummins is unavailable for the first Test, beginning on 21 November, meaning the absence of another established pace bowler like Hazlewood might have represented a serious concern

The bowler stood not expected to participate in Perth, while Hazlewood will combine Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland forming the fast bowling unit

The captain, rehabilitating from back issues, is thought to be on track to return during the next Test in Brisbane starting on 4 December

Batter Steve Smith will lead Australia during the captain's recovery

Similar to most the Australia players, Hazlewood is involved in the current round of domestic cricket in preparation for the England series

Prior to recently, he had not played red-ball cricket representing NSW in more than a year

He felt tightness in his hamstring near the conclusion of the opposition's batting recently and left the field as a precaution

Neither Hazlewood nor Abbott batted in New South Wales' second innings in a losing cause by three hundred runs

"We have one week until the Test matches - we consistently choose the side of caution," said Cummins

"The medical staff sought to identify the nature of the problem before pushing it and possibly causing the injury more severe"

"Uncommon to see him cheerful, making it encouraging to see him smiling"

"He understands his physique thoroughly. It seemed he felt a little bit worried (and desired medical assessment"

Abbott earned 57 appearances with the national team in white-ball cricket

The yet-to-debut the pace bowler represents additional pace options among the selections, offering support to Starc, Boland and Hazlewood

Melissa Meza
Melissa Meza

A tech enthusiast and writer passionate about sharing innovative solutions and fostering community growth through insightful content.

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