Fast bowler Atkinson Exacerbates England's Injury Concerns.
'Serious blow' for the touring side after Atkinson is forced off suffering a hamstring problem.
The pace bowler further complicated the fitness woes of the England squad after leaving the field on the second morning of the fourth Ashes Test versus the Australians.
The pace bowler pulled up with his hamstring immediately following a delivery that he bowled during the morning session.
The England team reported the 27-year-old had experienced "tightness" and required time off the field in order to be assessed "in the coming hours".
The concluding match in this Ashes battle beginning on 4 January gets underway on Sunday, 4 January.
The visitors have been without key quicks one seamer due to knee trouble and another paceman with an abdominal strain during this series.
A replacement bowler was added to the party as injury reinforcement.
Atkinson struggled during the first two matches, managing only a handful of scalps.
He was omitted from the previous Test, only to be brought back for the Melbourne Test to fill the void.
Atkinson performed better in the fourth Test, bagging two scalps in Australia's first innings, and scoring 28 runs while batting as one of just three English batsmen to get into double digits.
After bowling one over in Australia's second innings, he resumed for the second day's play and removed Scott Boland taken by the wicketkeeper.
Unfortunately, on the final ball of that over, he bowled a change of pace to Travis Head and promptly felt at his leg.
The English bowler returned to the side for the fourth Ashes Test following his omission of the third.