Hazlewood facing uphill battle to be fit for second Test

Josh Hazlewood has flown home to Sydney on Sunday as he faces a race against time to be fit for the second Vodafone Ashes Test after suffering a mild side strain during the nine-wicket win in Brisbane.

Hazlewood was injured during the first Test in Brisbane but hasn't officially been ruled out of the day-night fixture beginning in Adelaide in just four days' time.

The 30-year-old didn't bowl on the third afternoon at the Gabba and was sent for a scan on Friday night which showed he was at least fit enough to bowl on Saturday.

The right-armer (1-32) got through six overs on day four and took the wicket of Jos Buttler for 23 as the hosts cruised to victory inside four days.

Australia's pace attack had a less than ideal preparation ahead of the Ashes after coming straight from the T20 World Cup with their only red-ball intra-squad hit out abandoned due to wet weather, but they still managed to claim all 20 English wickets at the Gabba.

Losing Hazlewood would be a significant blow ahead of the day-night fixture in Adelaide as he boasts an impressive pink-ball record of 32 wickets at 19.90.

If Hazlewood is sidelined for the second Test in Adelaide beginning on Thursday, Jhye Richardson looms as the most likely replacement.

The 25-year-old quick played two Tests against Sri Lanka almost three years ago and has been in outstanding form to start the Marsh Sheffield Shield season where he has taken 23 wickets at 13.43 in four games for Western Australia.

Hazlewood was also out with a back injury when Richardson made his debut in a day-night Test in Brisbane in January 2019 where he collected 5-45 for the match.

Uncapped Queensland paceman Michael Neser is also in good form after taking 5-29 and 2-36 in Australia A's 112-run win over the England Lions at Ian Healy Oval in Brisbane.

Australian captain Pat Cummins said Hazlewood was a "bit sore" and would be monitored ahead of the second Test.

"(It's) nothing too serious but didn't want it to turn into a huge injury," Cummins said after the first Test.

"We don't want to put him in jeopardy for the whole series so we'll take our time.

"He's a little bit sore so we're just managing him through – it's a five-Test match summer and he's a key for us, so we don't want to blow him out on day two or three."

First Test centurion Travis Head, opener David Warner and wicketkeeper Alex Carey also used the day off to fly out of Brisbane early on Sunday ahead of the main group tomorrow to reunite with their families in Adelaide.

David Warner is also under an injury cloud with bruised ribs but Cummins seemed confident the left-hander would be fine for the second Test.

Vodafone Men's Ashes

Squads

Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, 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: December 16-20, Adelaide Oval

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, Blundstone Arena