Fast bowler Atkinson Exacerbates England's Injury Concerns.
'Serious blow' for the touring side after Atkinson is forced off with a hamstring injury.
The English seamer increased the injury concerns plaguing England upon exiting the ground on the second morning in the Melbourne Test versus the Australians.
The right-arm seamer felt a problem in his left leg immediately following a delivery of the fourth over at the MCG.
The touring camp reported the 27-year-old had experienced "tightness" and was to take time off the field for further assessment "over the next few hours".
The concluding match of the series beginning on 4 January gets underway at the end of the week.
The visitors have already lost strike bowlers Mark Wood to a knee injury and another paceman to a side strain on this Ashes tour.
A replacement bowler was called up as injury reinforcement.
The seamer had a tough time in the opening two Tests, managing only a handful of scalps.
He was omitted for the Adelaide match, then recalled for the fourth Test to fill the void.
Atkinson performed better in the fourth Test, claiming a couple of wickets during the host's first knock, and scoring 28 runs with the bat as one of just three teammates to get into double digits.
After bowling one over at the end of day one, he resumed on Saturday morning and removed Scott Boland taken by the wicketkeeper.
Unfortunately, at the end of that over, he sent down a variation to Travis Head and suddenly grabbed his left hamstring.
The English bowler was brought back for the Boxing Day Test having missed of the third.
