Seamer Atkinson Compounds the English team's Fitness Problems.
'Serious blow' for the English camp as Atkinson is forced off suffering a hamstring problem.
Gus Atkinson further complicated the fitness woes of the England squad when he left the playing area on the second morning in the Melbourne Test in the Ashes series.
The right-arm seamer felt a problem in his left leg post-delivery of the fourth over on Saturday.
The England team indicated the 27-year-old felt some "soreness" and was to take time away from the action in order to be assessed "over the next few hours".
The concluding match of the tour in Sydney begins at the end of the week.
The English side has previously lost fast bowlers Mark Wood due to knee trouble and another paceman with an abdominal strain during this series.
Matthew Fisher was brought into the squad as injury reinforcement.
His form was underwhelming early in the series, claiming a mere a handful of scalps.
He was dropped of the third Test, only to be brought back for the Boxing Day match in the playing XI.
Surrey's Atkinson showed better form in Melbourne, bagging two scalps with the ball, and scoring 28 runs while batting among just a trio of England players who passed ten runs.
Post a single over late on the first day, he resumed the next day and dismissed the nightwatchman taken by the wicketkeeper.
However, towards the conclusion of the fifth over, he sent down a variation to the batsman and promptly felt his left hamstring.
Atkinson returned to the side for the fourth Ashes Test having missed the previous Test.
