Australia’s pacer Josh Hazlewood has been cleared of a hamstring injury and will travel to Perth for next week’s first Ashes Test against England.
Hazlewood left the field during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) after feeling tightness in his right hamstring. However, Cricket Australia confirmed that scans showed no muscle strain.
He will join the national squad and train as planned ahead of the series opener starting November 21.
Meanwhile, fellow fast bowler Sean Abbott, who was also scanned after the match, suffered a moderate hamstring injury and will miss the first Test.
With skipper Pat Cummins sidelined due to a back injury, Australia are expected to rely on Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland as their main pace attack.
Stand-in captain Steve Smith said it was a “nervous afternoon” but expressed relief that Hazlewood’s issue was minor.
The five-match Ashes series will begin in Perth, followed by Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney.
