Australia quick Josh Hazlewood set to play first Ashes Test after injury scare

Australia suffered an injury setback on Wednesday ahead of the first Ashes Test against England with pacer Sean Abbott ruled out due to a hamstring injury, while spearhead Josh Hazlewood was cleared to join the team after a similar fitness concern.

Hazlewood and reserve quick Abbott both left the Sydney Cricket Ground during New South Wales's Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria.

The home side have already seen captain Pat Cummins ruled out of next week's series opener due to back problems.

Hazlewood left the field with concerns over his hamstring on the third morning of the Sheffield Shield match at the SCG and did not return after the lunch break.

Abbott, who is in Australia's Test squad as a back-up bowling option, also left the field after taking three quick wickets for his side.

However, Hazlewood was cleared of any major injury and was allowed to join the squad for the Perth Test that begins on November 21.

Abbott, on the other hand, was diagnosed with a moderate grade hamstring strain and won't play in the opener.

Scott Boland will replace Cummins in the attack which also contains left-armer Mitchell Starc.

Abbott, who took 4-18 against Victoria, was named in Australia's 15-man squad for Perth as a replacement quick, with uncapped Brendon Doggett the other pace option.

However, the fact is that Australia have a limited pool of quicks. With Boland already set to deputise for Cummins and the likes of Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson sidelined, Australia have next to no frontline pace options if there are any more injuries.

Stokes defiant

England captain Ben Stokes has brushed off criticism over England's Ashes preparations, insisting this week's in-house warm-up will be intense.

A three-day clash against England Lions XI, starting at Perth's Lilac Hill outground on Thursday, represents the only tour game before the first Test, a decision which has generated plenty of heat.

Former players from both sides have had their say, with England great Ian Botham and former captain Michael Vaughan among those to question the light run-in from an English perspective.

Former Australia opener Simon Katich joined the chorus on Wednesday, telling the West Australian newspaper the schedule was “asking for trouble”.

But Stokes gave the idea short shrift. “No easing into it. There'll be a good run out for everyone,” he said.

“We've not been preparing for this tour over the last three weeks, we've put a lot of thought and process into this for a few years now.

“There's quite a few factors that play into why we can't prepare how the has-beens maybe prepared in the past. The landscape of cricket has changed and that affects preparation and how you are able to do it. But we are very confident and very comfortable with how we prepare because we leave no stone unturned.

“You used to be able to come out on a tour a month-and-a-half, two months before the first game started. Now there's so much cricket packed into the schedule, it's impossible to do it how it used to be done.”