Australia’s hopes for retaining the Ashes could cop a major body blow with doubts meeting about whether Josh Hazlewood will play at all this summer.
According to veteran journalist Peter Lalor, the hamstring injury that Hazlewood suffered recently on Sheffield Shield duty is much worse than first reported.
He had initially been cleared but further scans revealed Hazlewood suffered a hamstring strain.
Cricket Australia released a statement to say “initial scans were clear of muscle strain however follow-up imaging today has confirmed the injury.
“Early imaging can occasionally underestimate low-grade muscle injuries.”
He was subsequently ruled out of the Test in Perth with no timeline provided on when he would be back.
Lalor reported that there could be tendon damage and the NSW seamer could miss the entire series.
“If these whispers I’m hearing about Hazlewood are right, if the worst comes to fruition, we might not see him again in this series,” he said.
Brendan Doggett did well to take five wickets in his first Test while Hazlewood was sidelined and the Aussies could be getting Pat Cummins back for the second Test in Brisbane on December 4.
Cummins’ back injury is coming along nicely and the Australian skipper is confident of being fit for the second Test at Brisbane which starts on December 4.
Josh Hazlewood. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Cricket Australia)
“It’s feeling good,” Cummins told Fox Cricket during the second day in Perth.
“It’s on track and pulling up pretty well. I’m half a chance for the next game.
“I’ll have a couple more bowls and then there could be potentially up to two weeks before the next (Test).
“I’m pretty hopeful and it’s probably better than it was a few weeks ago.”
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