Gus Atkinson hands England another injury blow as he left the field early on day 2 clutching his hamstring.
Gus Atkinson reports “soreness” early on second day at MCG after early wicket of Scott Boland.
Midway through the morning session at the MCG, Gus Atkinson, a member of England’s seam attack, left the pitch holding his left hamstring, marring the team’s two-day victory in the Boxing Day Test.
Early in the session, Atkinson dismissed nightwatchman Scott Boland, but as he ran in to bowl the last ball of his fifth over, he seemed to pull his hamstring.
After delivering the ball at 61 mph/98 kph, he held his hamstring and went down the tunnel to the England dressing room for medical assistance. Ollie Pope, a substitute outfield, took his position. Atkinson is a serious doubt for the fifth Test in Sydney since he did not return to the pitch following the lunch break.
“England seamer Gus Atkinson left the field after bowling his fifth over of the innings, having felt some soreness in his left hamstring,” a team spokesperson said, shortly after the injury. “He will be assessed over the next few hours.”
Ben Stokes, the captain of England, recognised that Atkinson’s fitness was uncertain given the impending Sydney Test on January 3, but he was unable to provide much information regarding the extent of the injury in his post-match remarks.
“It was obviously disappointing to see him go off the field,” he said. “I’m not part of the medical team, so I’ll leave that up to them. I’m sure, as always whenever a player leaves the field, that there’ll be all the scans and then we’ll just have to wait and see.”