England won the pre-Ashes Battle of Wounded Hamstring on Saturday after Mark Wood’s all-clear diagnosis was swiftly followed by Australia’s Josh Hazlewood being ruled out of the first Test.
A scan on Wood’s left hamstring gave England’s fastest bowler the all clear six days out from the series opener here on the west coast, although he did not return to the warm-up game between England and England Lions at Lilac Hill.
Wood, 35, reported discomfort in his left hamstring after sending down eight overs on the opening day, his first bowl in a match situation in nine months, and was dispatched for a radiographer’s appointment 24 hours later.
An ECB statement confirmed he had ‘been cleared of any concerns,’ and although he did not rejoin the practice game on the Midland Guildford club ground, it added that he ‘will continue to train as planned in the build-up to the first Test’.
Given Wood’s lack of cricket since breaking down in February’s Champions Trophy loss to Afghanistan with a knee injury that required surgery, his participation at the Optus Stadium next Friday appears to be a long shot.
However, this England Test regime have shown their willingness to make bold selection calls and pairing Jofra Archer and Wood together would be an exciting prospect.
While the news means England captain Ben Stokes will have a full touring squad at his disposal, the addition of Hazlewood to Australia’s list of absentees has reduced the hosts’ numbers to 14.
Hazlewood was initially cleared of any damage after reporting sore during New South Wales’ 300-run defeat to Victoria in the Sheffield Shield earlier this week.
But the bowler who turns 35 in January, the day after the five-Test series is scheduled to finish, was sent for a second opinion on Saturday which confirmed a right hamstring strain.
A Cricket Australia statement read: ‘Early imaging can occasionally underestimate low-grade muscle injuries.
‘As a result, Hazlewood will not travel to Perth and has been ruled out of the first NRMA Insurance Ashes Test Match.’
Australia captain Pat Cummins was already ruled out before the 15-man squad was picked due to a back injury and Sean Abbott, who made the cut, was ruled out with a hamstring tear incurred in that same Shield game in which Hazlewood was injured.
It means 31-year-old Brendan Doggett, fresh from two five-wicket hauls for South Australia in the past fortnight, will make his Test debut in place of Hazlewood, who is missing his fourth opening Test in five Australian summers with an injury niggle, while Queensland’s Michael Neser comes into the squad as seam-bowling back up.
Australian fans will be bemoaning their luck, after losing 604 Test wickets of experience from their attack, but it is a by-product of sticking with an ageing team until it creaks.
On a day on which Brydon Carse shrugged off sickness to take three wickets, bad news was provided when Rehan Ahmed was ruled out of the remainder of England Lions’ tour here due to a right lower leg strain.
