Hazlewood Ashes-ready as Starc bounces Smith

Australia paceman Josh Hazlewood said Friday he is ready to let rip in the Ashes Test series opener with England despite having just one first-class match as preparation.

Hazlewood heads into the first Brisbane Test on November 23 on the back of a solitary Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales.

But the quick looks in good nick after taking match figures of six for 73 against Western Australia from a total of 33 overs.

Hazlewood will finalise his Test preparations by working out alongside fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Jackson Bird in Brisbane ahead of the Ashes opener.

"Things went pretty well the whole game," Hazlewood told reporters.

"From ball one I was pretty surprised with how well the ball was coming out, how good the run-up felt, how good everything (was) in general.

"I'm pretty happy with where it's at now so I don't think there's a need to play another game.

"I'm ready to go now and we obviously talk with the coaches and selectors and physios, everyone is on the same page and ready to go."

Hazlewood, Starc and Cummins bowled to Australia's two top batsmen, skipper Steve Smith and David Warner, in the Sydney Cricket Ground nets in a session full of intensity on Friday.

Things got testy with left-armer Starc forcing Smith to duck for cover several times.

"It's always good fun and they (Smith and Starc) are two world-class players, so it always keeps you on your toes and makes sure you get everything out of the session," Hazlewood said.

"That's what they're always like.

"They're always into each other and Patty (Cummins) and I just do our thing.

"It's pretty easy to fire Starcy up, so Smithy takes it on.

"There's no real 'going through the motions' when you're bowling at those two (Smith and Warner)."

Back injury wrecks Coulter-Nile's Ashes chances

Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile will take a "short break" after suffering a fresh back problem, Cricket Australia said on Friday, probably ruling him out of the coming Ashes series.

Coulter-Nile, 30, has a history of spinal stress fractures and the latest setback appears to end his chances of being a back-up to Australia's pace trio Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins against England.

"Nathan experienced some pain in his back following the two-day tour match against England last week," CA's sports medicine manager Alex Kountouris said.

"Subsequent scans have revealed an early stage aggravation of his old stress fracture.

"Whilst this is a setback, the good news is that it has been picked up early so we are only considering a short break from bowling while we monitor him."

Kountouris said Coulter-Nile will have further scans over the next month to determine when he can return to bowling. The five-Test Ashes series starts on November 23.

Coulter-Nile has yet to play a Test match, but has made 21 one-day and 19 T20 international appearance for Australia.