Australia and England suffer blows as Wood, Hazlewood out of Ashes series

Fast bowler Mark Wood will play no further part in the Ashes tour and is to fly home from Australia at the weekend, England announced on Tuesday.

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Wood, 35, returned to action in the first Test in Perth after surgery kept him out for eight months, only to miss the second match in Brisbane after his left knee flared up again.

“Wood will return home later this week and will work closely with the ECB medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery,” said an England statement.

Wood said he was “gutted” in a lengthy post on social media.

“After extensive surgery and months of work and rehab to get back into the Test arena, my knee just hasn't held up,” he said.

Wood will be replaced in the squad by Matthew Fisher, 28, who won his only Test cap on a tour of the West Indies in 2022.

Fisher has been with the second-string England Lions squad in Australia.

“None of us expected this,” said Wood, whose absence will be a big blow to England who are already 2-0 down in the five-match series.