Josh Hazlewood given the all-clear of injury however Abbott out of Ashes Test

Josh Hazlewood has been cleared to become part of the Aussie lineup ahead of the opening Ashes match after an injury scare, but fellow pace bowler Sean Abbott has been ruled out

Both suffered muscle problems during their match for their state team against Victoria in domestic cricket recently

Medical examinations revealed Hazlewood (34) escaped a muscle strain. The 33-year-old Abbott, yet to debut, suffered a significant hamstring issue

Skipper Pat Cummins is unavailable for the opening Test, commencing later this month, therefore missing of a key pace option like Hazlewood might have represented a significant setback

The bowler stood doubtful to feature at the Perth match, with Hazlewood set to join fellow quicks Starc and Boland as the primary pace attack

Cummins, who is recovering from back issues, is thought to be likely to comeback for the second Test commencing December fourth

Top-order player Smith will lead Australia during the captain's recovery

Similar to most Aussie squad members, Hazlewood is involved in recent matches of state games in preparation for the historic rivalry

Until this match, he was absent from a first-class match representing NSW since last season

He noticed discomfort in his hamstring towards the end of Victoria's second innings recently and was substituted taking preventive measures

Neither Hazlewood nor Abbott participated in batting for their team's second batting effort in a losing cause by 300 runs

"We're a week away from the Test series - typically prefer the side of caution," stated the captain

"They needed to determine what was happening ahead of risking and possibly causing anything worse"

"It's rare to get him chipper, therefore it was positive to witness his smile"

"He understands his physique thoroughly. I think he was somewhat concerned (and desired medical assessment"

The bowler collected 57 international selections representing Australia in limited-overs formats

Without Test experience Brendan Doggett provides bowling backup within the team, providing cover for the main pace trio