WOOD BOWLS AUSSIES OVER

BRYDON CARSE admits it's a relief Mark Wood is on board for England's trip behind enemy lines - and that Josh Hazlewood won't be chucking balls their way.

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Hazlewood is out of the first Ashes Test, joining captain Pat Cummins in the treatment room along with backup bowlers Sean Abbott, Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson.

But the tourists escaped a body blow of their own as Wood, the fastest bowler available to either side, got the all-clear to feature in Perth later this week.

He had complained of stiffness in his left hamstring after getting through eight overs of their only Test warm-up at Perth's Lilac Hill.