Seamer Gus Atkinson Exacerbates England's Injury Worries.
'Serious blow' for England after Atkinson leaves the field with a hamstring injury.
The English seamer added to the fitness woes of the England squad after leaving the playing area during Saturday's play of the Boxing Day Test in the Ashes series.
The right-arm seamer experienced discomfort in his hamstring after the final ball of the fourth over at the MCG.
Team management reported the 27-year-old reported "discomfort" and was to take time away from the action for further assessment "in the coming hours".
The final Test of the series at the SCG starts on Sunday, 4 January.
The English side has previously lost strike bowlers one seamer with a knee problem and another paceman because of a side injury during this series.
A replacement bowler was added to the party to provide backup.
His form was underwhelming early in the series, managing only a handful of scalps.
He was left out for the Adelaide match, before being recalled for the fourth Test to fill the void.
Atkinson improved at the MCG, claiming a couple of wickets in Australia's first innings, and scoring 28 runs while batting among just a trio of English batsmen who passed ten runs.
Following a brief spell at the end of day one, he resumed for the second day's play and dismissed the nightwatchman edging to the keeper.
Unfortunately, towards the conclusion of his spell, he bowled a change of pace to the batsman and suddenly grabbed at his leg.
The English bowler returned to the side for the Melbourne match following his omission of the third.
