🔗 Share this article Seamer Gus Atkinson Compounds the English team's Injury Worries. 'Serious blow' for the touring side after Atkinson leaves the field due to a hamstring issue. The English seamer increased England's injury problems when he left the playing area early on day two of the Boxing Day Test in the Ashes series. The right-arm seamer pulled up with his hamstring post-delivery of the fourth over during the morning session. Team management stated the 27-year-old had experienced "tightness" and required time on the sidelines to undergo evaluation "in the coming hours". The final Test in this Ashes battle in Sydney starts on Sunday, 4 January. The English side has been without strike bowlers one seamer with a knee problem and Jofra Archer with an abdominal strain on the current trip. A replacement bowler was brought into the squad to provide backup. His form was underwhelming in the opening two Tests, managing only three wickets. He was dropped for the Adelaide match, then recalled for the Boxing Day match as Archer's replacement. Atkinson improved at the MCG, bagging two scalps with the ball, then making 28 with the bat among just a trio of teammates who passed ten runs. After bowling one over in Australia's second innings, he returned on Saturday morning and dismissed the nightwatchman edging to the keeper. However, on the final ball of his spell, he bowled a change of pace to the batsman and promptly felt at his leg. Gus Atkinson was brought back for the Melbourne match following his omission the previous Test.