The Ashes: Josh Hazlewood injury scare may open the door for Beau Webster to play alongside Cameron Green

Josh Hazlewood’s latest injury concern may bolster the possibility of Beau Webster lining up alongside Cameron Green in the first Test of the Ashes, with stand-in captain Steve Smith open to playing both all-rounders in the same side.

A massive scare was sent through the Australian camp in New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria on Wednesday when Hazlewood and fellow Test squad member Sean Abbott left the field in quick succession due to hamstring complaints.

Scans later in the day cleared Hazlewood of a strain but the news was not as good for Abbott, who has been ruled out of the start of the series due to a “moderate grade hamstring injury”.

Hazlewood has been dogged by injury in the back half of his career, having spent 12 of Australia’s 29 home Tests since the beginning of the 2019-20 season on the sidelines.

The development has added to concerns over the durability an ageing bowling attack which will already be without captain Pat Cummins for at least The West Test in Perth, who is on the mend from bone stress in his back.

But elsewhere in the shield, Green made a successful return to the bowling crease in the first innings of WA’s clash with Queensland and Webster prized eight wickets — including Travis Head twice — as Tasmania went down to South Australia.

After the completion of his shield game, Smith said he had not given much thought to how Australia would line up at Optus Stadium next week but selectors were fortunate to have both all-rounders at their disposal.

”We’ve got it there, don’t we? We’ve got Green, who bowled well from what I’ve heard in their game. And Slug, who took five (wickets in the first innings) as well,” Smith said.

“It’s nice to have the options there if we feel we need to go down that path at all.”

While Green was unable to bowl earlier this year as he recovered from major back surgery, he played as a specialist batter alongside Webster in Australia’s loss to South Africa in the World Test Championship final and the tour of the West Indies.

His returns were only modest in an unfamiliar position at No.3, which he would appear set to retain with Marnus Labuschagne elevated to open the batting if Webster is selected.

Smith revealed his orders to Hazlewood once he revealed his injury concern were prompt and decisive.

“He literally bowled his last ball and I looked at him and said, ‘how are you going?’ Smith said.

“He’s like, ‘I’m a bit tight in my hamstring.’ I was like, ‘Get off the field. Disappear. You’re done, go and figure it out.’

“Fortunately, it was just some tightness and he’s good.”

The shield game between NSW and Victoria at the SCG — which saw the visitors cruise to a 300-run win despite Smith making dual half-centuries — featured all of Australia’s first-choice bowling attack for the first Test, with Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon playing for the hosts and Scott Boland representing the visitors.

After Hazlewood and Abbott left the field, Smith jokingly said the thought of putting Starc and Boland on ice for the remainder of the game crossed his mind.

“I was like, ‘Geez, I just don’t want to Starcy to get injured.’ I told Boland, ‘You can bowl one spell and be done as well,” Smith said.