Atkinson Leaves The Field Clutching Hamstring In The Latest England Injury Blow

England’s two-day win came with a worrying development as Gus Atkinson had to leave the field clutching his left hamstring during the morning session at the MCG.

In the previous match, Atkinson sent the nightwatchman Scott Boland away, which is a significant wicket. But as he rushed in to roll the last ball of his fifth over, he appeared to ride up chagrined. He was registered at 61mph (98kph) on the clock, and the next second, he picked up his hamstring and ran off.

He was replaced in the field by Ollie Pope and did not reappear after the lunch break, raising serious doubts for the fifth Test in Sydney.

A team spokesperson confirmed shortly afterward:

"England seamer Gus Atkinson left the field after bowling his fifth over of the innings, having felt some soreness in his left hamstring… He will be assessed over the next few hours."

After the match, captain Ben Stokes admitted there was little clarity, though he acknowledged the timing could be problematic with the Sydney Test approaching on January 3.

"It was obviously disappointing to see him go off the field… I'm not part of the medical team, so I'll leave that up to them… We'll just have to wait and see."

Atkinson had already made an impact in the match, taking 2 for 28 from 14 overs on day one. His recent run has been disrupted by injuries, including a right hamstring strain earlier in the year that restricted him to only one Test against India. He had picked up three wickets across the first two Ashes Tests before being omitted in Adelaide, only to return at the MCG.

This latest setback continues a difficult run for England’s seam unit since arriving in Australia. Mark Wood bowled just 11 overs in the opening Test before flying home due to a knee injury, and Jofra Archer has also been sidelined for the final two matches with a side strain.

Matthew Potts, with 36 Test wickets at 29.44, and Matthew Fisher, brought in as cover for Wood, are yet to feature in the series. 

With Sydney approaching quickly, England now face yet another selection puzzle and another reminder of how punishing this series has been on their fast bowlers.