Josh Hazlewood cleared of fitness concerns but Abbott out of Ashes Test
Josh Hazlewood has taken 295 Test scalps maintaining an average of 24.21 in 76 Tests
Josh Hazlewood has been cleared to link up with the Aussie lineup for the first Ashes Test following fitness concerns, however, teammate Sean Abbott has been ruled out
Each encountered hamstring injuries playing for their state team versus Victoria in the Sheffield Shield on Wednesday
Scans showed Hazlewood (34) did not sustain tissue injury. Abbott, 33, who hasn't played Tests, sustained a "moderate grade" injury
Team captain Cummins is out of the opening Test, beginning on 21 November, therefore missing of a key pace option in Hazlewood would have been a significant setback
Abbott would have been unlikely to play during the Western Australia Test, as Hazlewood prepares to team up Starc and Boland as the primary pace attack
Cummins, currently healing from a back injury, is thought to be on track to return for the Brisbane match beginning December 4 in Brisbane
Top-order player Smith will captain the side while Cummins is out
Like many of Aussie squad members, Hazlewood participated in ongoing fixtures of Sheffield Shield matches ahead of the Ashes
Prior to recently, he hadn't featured a first-class match for New South Wales in more than a year
He noticed discomfort in his posterior chain during the final stages of Victoria's second innings on Wednesday and left the field taking preventive measures
Both players batted in the follow-on innings during their defeat by three hundred runs
"There's seven days before the international cricket - we consistently choose the side of caution," said Cummins
"The medical staff sought to identify the exact situation ahead of risking and possibly causing anything worse"
"It's rare to get him cheerful, so it was good to witness his smile"
"He understands his physique thoroughly. It seemed he felt slightly anxious (and) wanted to get it checked out"
The bowler collected 57 caps for Australia in white-ball cricket
The uncapped Doggett is the other seamer in the squad, providing cover for the primary fast bowlers
