Hazlewood ruled out of Ashes

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and England’s Mark Wood have been ruled out of the Ashes entirely after struggling with injuries.
McDonald confirmed the first-choice quick would not play any part in the five-test series against England after already missing the opening matches in Perth and Brisbane.
“Really flat for him,” McDonald said on Tuesday.
“A couple of setbacks that we didn’t see coming. We thought he’d play a huge part in the series. But really feel for him that he won’t get that opportunity.”
Hazlewood suffered a hamstring strain before Perth and last week had a separate setback while working his way back.
“It’s somewhere lower in the calf to Achilles region,” McDonald said of the latest injury.
Hazlewood’s Ashes blow came on the same day England confirmed fellow quick Mark Wood would not play another match in the series due to a knee injury.
McDonald said regular captain and paceman Pat Cummins would be ready to return for Adelaide, where Australia can retain the urn with a draw.
Australia, who hold the urn, lead the five-test series 2-0.
Cummins also missed the opening tests while recovering from a lower back injury, but had proved his fitness with match simulation in Brisbane, McDonald said.
“He was out at Allan Border Field whilst everyone was at the Gabba. He simulated pretty much what a match will look like out there with multiple spells,” he added.
“We feel as though the simulation in the nets has got him skill-ready. His body’s ready to go.
“Barring anything else happening in the next week, I’d be expecting Pat to be tossing the coin and putting the blazer on.”
Australia’s selectors sprung a surprise by dropping Nathan Lyon for his first home test since 2012 at Brisbane, triggering an emotional reaction from the 38-year-old spinner.
McDonald, who sits on the selection panel, said Lyon had every right to be disappointed but he would have a “big part” to play in the rest of the series.
 
Injured Wood
England fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes following a recurrence of a left knee injury sustained during the first test in Perth.
Wood will return home later this week to work on his rehabilitation and recovery, the team said on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old Durham bowler’s absence is a blow to an inexperienced England attack who were well handled by Australia’s batters at the Gabba, where the hosts won by eight wickets.
Perth was Wood’s first test in 15 months following a long period to rehabilitate the knee.
He said he was “gutted” in a post on social media but would do all he could to return to the international arena.
“After extensive surgery and 7 long, hard months of work and rehab to get back into the test arena, my knee just hasn’t held up,” he wrote.
“None of us expected this. I came here with high expectations about making a big impact.
“I’m desperately disappointed that despite yet more injections and intensive medical treatment it has become clear that the flare up in my knee is worse than feared.”
Wood was ruled out on the same day Australia confirmed stalwart quick Josh Hazlewood would play no part in the Ashes following Achilles and hamstring injuries.
Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher has been added to England’s squad and will link up with the group this week, having been in Australia with the England Lions.
Fisher played his one test during the 2022 tour of the West Indies.
England had Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson in their pace attack at the Gabba, with all-rounder Ben Stokes offering a fourth seam option and Will Jacks providing part-time spin.
They struggled as Australia posted 511 in their reply to England’s first innings 334, with the hosts’ tailenders holding on for the better part of two sessions on day three.
Australia lead the five-test series 2-0 and need only draw the third match in Adelaide starting December 17 to retain the urn. 
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