Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the final Ashes Test, leaving England three bowlers down as they close the series in Sydney.
Atkinson pulled up while bowling in his side’s two-day win at Melbourne and played no further part in the match. Scans have shown a left hamstring injury that will not allow him to feature in the New Year Test and the exact severity may not be known until further assessment when he returns home.
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The 27-year-old bows out of his first Ashes series with six wickets at 47.33, having shown glimpses of his ability without ever asserting himself on the occasion.
Gus Atkinson has taken six wickets in three Tests in Australia (Robbie Stephenson/PA)
Atkinson’s early exit follows the withdrawals of Mark Wood, whose knee problems flared up after the first Test, and Jofra Archer, who sustained a side strain after turning out in each of the first three matches.
All three were in the tourists’ first-choice XI when they hit Australia with a barrage of pace on day one in Perth, but a much changed attack will now finish the series.
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No replacements have been called up as England look to reduce the margin of defeat by making it 3-2, with Durham’s Matthew Potts next in line and Surrey’s Matthew Fisher also on hand having previously joined the main squad from the Lions party.
Matthew Potts is next in line for a Test recall in Sydney (Robbie Stephenson/PA)
Brydon Carse is set to complete five Tests in a row, though could cede new ball duties, with Josh Tongue continuing after two impressive performances in Adelaide and Melbourne.
Potts has 36 wickets in 10 Tests appearances, averaging 29.44, while Fisher won his only cap against the West Indies in 2022, taking one one wicket for 71 in Barbados.
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Although the Ashes urn will stay in Australia there is plenty to play for at the SCG – namely pride, World Test Championship points and places in the side. Jacob Bethell has already staked a claim to the number three slot after replacing Ollie Pope on Boxing Day, with his mature 40 taking much of the strain in England’s 175-run chase.
The 22-year-old now has an opportunity to lock in an extended run in the side and is ready to throw himself into the challenge.
“I’ve still got a lot more to do to call it my position,” he admitted.
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Jacob Bethell batting during England’s Ashes win in Melbourne (Robbie Stephenson/PA)
“It’s nice to come in and make an impact straight away, it’s pretty sweet. But I’m not thinking too far ahead yet. Hopefully I play next week in Sydney and then we’ve got a lot of cricket before next summer. I would like to just nail down any role in the team to be honest.”
Many county players of Bethell’s age would have been overawed by the prospect of walking out for their first Ashes Test in front of over 90,000 fans but, having experienced the buzz of IPL cricket with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he was unfazed by the magnitude of the event.
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“I was pretty nervous, not so much with the people just the occasion I guess, but I’ve played over in India where it feels like there’s 160,000 people watching,” he said.
“I definitely had a lot more confidence coming into the game after playing in front of, I don’t know, 50,000 – which felt like 100,000 – at the Chinnaswammy Stadium.”
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