Hazlewood ruled out of Ashes series finale

UPDATE: Scott Boland's dream Ashes campaign could continue in Hobart despite Friday's injury scare, with Josh Hazlewood's Test summer over after it was confirmed he would miss the Hobart Test.

Boland, who was in line to be dropped for the ongoing SCG Test had Hazlewood been fit, suffered an unusual side injury following a tumble in his delivery stride on day three only hours after another bewitching spell continued his remarkable Test entrance.

The 32-year-old was cleared of any serious damage, and could now hold his spot for the final match of the series in Hobart next week where the Aussies hope to be gunning for a 5-0 Ashes series whitewash.

His competition for a spot looks to now be with Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser after Langer admitted attention had now turned to getting Hazlewood right for white-ball series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka beginning later this month.

"Unfortunately Josh hasn't come up, hopefully he'll be right for the white-ball games," coach Justin Langer said on Friday.

"It's been really tough on him, he has been really hanging out to play in this Ashes series like everyone.

"He has missed three games, so to have one of our premier fast bowlers out of the series, I guess it is a bit like England missing one of their premier fast bowlers (in Jofra Archer) – we've missed big Josh."

Langer confirmed Boland would bowl either Saturday or in England's second innings as Australia look to set the series ledger at 4-0.

Their tilt has been hampered by persistent Sydney rain taking overs out of the Test, while fighting day-three innings from Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes have ensured England have not succumbed as easily as they have in previous Tests.

Image Id: B0D1CD1372E44D34BD47674DA63316C4 Image Caption: Mitch Marsh and Josh Hazlewood run drinks at the SCG // Getty

Boland followed his player-of-the-match-winning haul of 6-7 in Melbourne by exploiting similarly seam-friendly conditions in Sydney, removing star man Joe Root (for a duck) for the second time in as many innings and opener Zac Crawley in another mesmerising spell.

He then fell over and landed awkwardly on his right side with his final ball before the tea break as his elbow jammed into his ribs, but was back bowling in the SCG nets before stumps having received the all-clear.

"It's amazing modern technology – he went for a scan just after the (tea) break and we were looking at his ribs on the computer screen about half an hour later," said Langer.

"So thankfully there's no fractures.

"He's going to be sore in the cartilage between his ribs but hopefully he'll be right to bowl tomorrow or in the second innings.

"Whether it's tomorrow morning, but in the second innings definitely."

Whether or not Boland remains hampered by the knock and despite Hazlewood going down, Australia look set to have multiple tough decisions to make for the pink-ball Test in Tasmania.

Richardson and Neser will both come into contention having played in this series' previous day-night contest in Adelaide, with the former making a strong case after bowling Australia to victory on day five with his maiden Test five-wicket haul.

On the batting front, Travis Head's return after recovering from COVID-19 may have to come at the expense of Usman Khawaja despite the veteran striking a glittering century on Thursday.

"They're nice problems to have," said Langer. "Travis Head's hundred in (Brisbane) coming back from being out of the team for a while was just brilliant, a great show of maturity from him to play as well as he did.

"Usman Khawaja – that was a dream yesterday.

"We'll have some thinking to do but the series has gone great so far but we've made some pretty good calls so far I think and hopefully we do the same for Hobart."

Vodafone Men's Ashes

Squads

Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nic Maddinson, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Schedule

First Test: Australia won by nine wickets

Second Test: Australia won by 275 runs

Third Test: Australia won by an innings and 14 runs

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, Blundstone Arena