Paceman Gus Atkinson Exacerbates the English team's Injury Concerns.

Gus Atkinson further complicated the fitness woes of the England squad when he left the playing area early on day two of the Boxing Day Test in the Ashes series.

The pace bowler pulled up with his left leg immediately following a delivery of the fourth over at the MCG.

The England team indicated the 27-year-old reported "discomfort" and was to take time away from the action for further assessment "during the day".

The final Test of the tour at the SCG gets underway on Sunday, 4 January.

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

Matthew Fisher was called up as cover for Wood.

The seamer had a tough time early in the series, managing only a handful of scalps.

He was dropped for the Adelaide match, before being recalled for the Boxing Day match as Archer's replacement.

Atkinson improved at the MCG, taking two wickets in Australia's first innings, then making 28 with the bat being one of only three English batsmen to reach double figures.

After bowling one over late on the first day, he came back for the second day's play and dismissed the nightwatchman taken by the wicketkeeper.

However, towards the conclusion of the fifth over, he delivered a variation to the batsman and suddenly grabbed at his leg.