Australia have avoided an Ashes disaster just nine days out from the first Test in Perth, but will need to make a change to the squad.

Frontline quick Josh Hazlewood and squad member Sean Abbott were both forced to leave the field during NSW’s Sheffield Shield match against Victoria on Wednesday.

The pair, who have both battled soft tissue injuries in the past, were given treatment for hamstring-related concerns at the SCG.

After scans at a nearby clinic, Hazlewood was cleared of any significant damage to the muscle with his Ashes preparations to continue uninterrupted.

“He will train as planned in the lead up to the first Test in Perth,” a Cricket Australia spokesperson said.

However, Abbott will miss the first Test with a strain meaning Australia will need to dip further into their depleted fast bowling stocks.

“He will not be available for selection for the first Test match in Perth and his return to play plan will be developed over the coming weeks,” CA’s spokesperson said of Abbott.

With skipper Pat Cummins already out for the Perth Test, losing both Hazlewood and Abbott would be have been a devastating blow for Australia.

Cummins, who was at the SCG on Wednesday, said Hazlewood appeared in good spirits after his scan.

“I was at the SCG. There was a bit happening there for an hour or so,” Cummins said at a CA announcement for major sponsors NRMA.

“Both had scans. I haven’t got 100 per cent across all the details but I think Joshy was pretty chipper when he got out. Hopefully he should be fine. Seany I’m not so sure about I think they’re still assessing.

“They were hamstrings. Obviously a week away from the Test series always you always err on the side of caution so I think they wanted to see what was happening before pushing it and potentially making it any worse.

“Hopefully not too much (disruption). Again we’ll wait and see how it comes out over the next 24 hours. I think Joshy was pretty confident when he walked out so hopefully it shouldn’t make too much of an issue.

Any injury to Hazlewood would be of significant concern with the first Test against England in Perth just nine days away.

Australia are already without Cummins for at least the series opener, with the quick expected to be replaced in the XI by Scott Boland.

The hosts have not entered a Test match without at least two of Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in the side since December 2022.

Hazlewood has battled a number of injuries through that time, including missing three Tests last summer with a side strain.

If Hazlewood was also ruled out, Brendan Doggett would likely be called in to debut.

Doggett has taken two five-wicket hauls since returning from a hamstring injury for South Australia, and is one of the form bowlers in the country.

The South Australian was initially part of Australia’s squad for West Indies and would have been a chance to debut there, before suffering a side strain.

Abbott is the other back-up paceman in the Test squad, but he also now appears to have some injury concern.

He took three wickets in six balls for NSW on Wednesday before leaving the SCG to be assessed.

The injury scares could also place more importance on Cameron Green’s fitness for the first Test, and whether Beau Webster remains in the side as a second allrounder.

Green sent down eight overs in the first innings in Perth on Tuesday at good pace, in what was his biggest bowling output in a match since before his back surgery last summer.

Webster took eight wickets for the match in Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield loss to South Australia this week, but is fighting to keep his spot in the Test side.

Selectors will likely weigh up whether to play Webster in Perth as an extra bowling option, or go with Jake Weatherald as a specialist opener with Marnus Labuschagne at No.3.

With AAP