The moment Josh Hazlewood told Steven Smith he felt some tightness in his right hamstring on the third day at the SCG thoughts went to the first Ashes Test in Perth. Smith, who will captain Australia next week, told his fast bowler to take no risks and head to the dressing room with subsequent scans clearing him of injury in a major relief to the home side's plans, although his final build-up will now be a close watch.

However, fellow Ashes Test squad member Sean Abbott has been withdrawn from the squad after scans on his left hamstring confirmed a moderate grade strain.  The pair did not appear after lunch on day three, having left the field during the first session, and did not bat in New South Wales' second innings as they collapsed to a 300-run defeat. "He [Hazlewood] literally bowled his last ball and I looked at him and said, 'how are you going?' Smith said, "He's like, 'I'm a bit tight in my hamstring.'

I was like, 'Get off the field. Disappear. You're done, go and figure it out.' Fortunately, it was just some tightness and he's good. "It's hard when you're playing in a game and you want to try and do well for your state as well. Then you've got an eye on, obviously, next week. Didn't know about Josh [being cleared] while we were still bowling...I was like, I just don't want Starcy [Mitchell Starc] to get injured. I was like, [Scott] Boland, you can bowl one spell and be done as well. That'll be good." 

A Cricket Australia (CA) statement said: "Hazlewood left the field late in Victoria's innings at the SCG today reporting tightness in his right hamstring. He underwent precautionary scans which have cleared him of muscle strain. He will train as planned in the lead up to the first Test in Perth. "Sean Abbott also left the field having reported left hamstring soreness. Scans confirmed a moderate grade hamstring injury. He will not be available for selection for the first Test match in Perth and his return to play plan will be developed over the coming weeks." 

Australia captain Pat Cummins, who has already been ruled out of the opening Test as he recovers from a back injury, had provided the first comments on the evolving situation while he was speaking at a CA promotional event near the SCG. Cummins had briefly been at the ground to catch up with the physios, only to find out they were being kept busy. "There was a bit happening there for an hour or so," Cummins said.

"I think Josh, he was pretty chipper when he got out [of the scans], so hopefully he should be fine...obviously a week away from the Test series kind of always there on the side of caution. "I think he was a little bit worried, wanting to get it checked out. When he got back, again I only saw him briefly, but I think he was a bit happier afterwards than he was going into the scans."

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)