Josh Hazlewood given the all-clear of injury however Abbott ruled out of Test

Josh Hazlewood cricket action

Hazlewood's career includes 295 Test scalps with an average of 24.21 runs per wicket during his 76-Test career

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The green light was given to Hazlewood to join the Australian team for the initial Test against England post-injury worries, but fellow pace bowler the paceman has been ruled out

Each encountered muscle problems playing for New South Wales versus Victoria during Sheffield Shield action on Wednesday

Scans showed Hazlewood, 34 did not sustain a muscle strain. The uncapped Abbott, 33, has a "moderate grade" injury

Skipper Pat Cummins is out of the first Test, beginning on 21 November, meaning the absence of another experienced fast bowler like Hazlewood might have represented a significant setback

Abbott would have been doubtful to feature during the Western Australia Test, with Hazlewood set to join fellow quicks Starc and Boland forming the fast bowling unit

The captain, rehabilitating from a back injury, is thought to be on track to return during the next Test commencing December fourth

Batter Steve Smith will captain the side while Cummins is out

Similar to most Australian cricketers, Hazlewood participated in ongoing fixtures of domestic cricket in preparation for the historic rivalry

Until this match, he hadn't featured red-ball cricket for New South Wales since last season

He experienced stiffness in his hamstring near the conclusion of the match on Wednesday and left the field taking preventive measures

Neither Hazlewood nor Abbott came out to bat during New South Wales' second innings as they lost by 300 runs

"We're a week away until the Test matches - always err on precautionary measures," said Cummins

"The medical staff sought to identify what was happening prior to testing it and potentially making anything worse"

"It's rare to get him chipper, so it was good observing his positive demeanor"

"He knows his body extremely well. I think he was a little bit worried (and desired it checked out"

The bowler collected 57 caps representing Australia in ODI and T20 cricket

Without Test experience Doggett represents additional pace options in the squad, providing cover for the primary fast bowlers

Krista Turner
Krista Turner

A seasoned journalist and digital content creator with a passion for uncovering stories that impact daily life and technology.