Fast bowler Atkinson Exacerbates England's Injury Worries.

The English seamer further complicated the fitness woes of the England squad when he left the field early on day two of the fourth Ashes Test against Australia.

Atkinson pulled up with his left hamstring after the final ball of the fourth over on Saturday.

The England team indicated Atkinson felt some "soreness" and required time away from the action in order to be assessed "over the next few hours".

The series decider of the tour at the SCG gets underway on Sunday, 4 January.

England have been without fast bowlers one seamer to a knee injury and another paceman with an abdominal strain on this Ashes tour.

A replacement bowler was called up as injury reinforcement.

His form was underwhelming in the opening two Tests, claiming a mere three wickets.

He was left out for the Adelaide match, then recalled for the Melbourne Test in the playing XI.

The county bowler showed better form in Melbourne, claiming a couple of wickets during the host's first knock, and scoring 28 runs as a batsman as one of just three teammates who passed ten runs.

Post a single over at the end of day one, he came back on Saturday morning and removed Scott Boland edging to the keeper.

Yet, at the end of the fifth over, he delivered a slower ball to the batsman and promptly felt for his hamstring.