Paceman Atkinson Compounds the English team's Injury Concerns.

'Serious blow' for England as Atkinson goes off with a hamstring injury.

The English seamer further complicated England's injury problems after leaving the playing area on the second morning of the Boxing Day Test against Australia.

The right-arm seamer experienced discomfort in his left leg post-delivery of the fourth over on Saturday.

Team management indicated the 27-year-old reported "discomfort" and was to take time away from the action in order to be assessed "in the coming hours".

The concluding match of the tour at the SCG begins on Sunday, 4 January.

England have been without fast bowlers Mark Wood to a knee injury and another paceman with an abdominal strain on the current trip.

Matthew Fisher was brought into the squad to provide backup.

Atkinson struggled in the opening two Tests, taking just three wickets.

He was left out from the previous Test, only to be brought back for the fourth Test in the playing XI.

The county bowler improved at the MCG, taking two wickets during the host's first knock, and scoring 28 runs with the bat among just a trio of English batsmen to get into double digits.

Following a brief spell late on the first day, he came back for the second day's play and removed Scott Boland taken by the wicketkeeper.

Yet, towards the conclusion of the fifth over, he delivered a slower ball to Travis Head and suddenly grabbed at his leg.