Ashes 2017: Craig Overton ruled out of fourth Test as injured Mitchell Starc launches 'verbal bouncers' at England

Seamer Overton will miss the Boxing Day test at the MCG due to a fractured rib, while Starc will be replaced by Jackson Bird after failing to recover from a heel injury

Craig Overton has been ruled out of the fourth Ashes Test for England (Getty)

Craig Overton will miss the Boxing Day Ashes Test in Melbourne because of his fractured rib.

An England and Wales Cricket Board spokesman confirmed the absence which has seemed inevitable ever since scans last weekend showed Overton had suffered the hairline fracture during the third Test in Perth.

The 23-year-old seamer had already been hit on the chest while batting in Adelaide, but it was when he fell awkwardly trying to take a caught-and-bowled chance at the Waca that he exacerbated the injury.

After England’s series-sealing defeat, Overton revealed he had been told he could suffer a punctured lung if he dived and hurt himself again in the same place.

His unavailability for what would have been his third Test appearance leaves uncapped Tom Curran most likely to replace him – with fellow fast bowler Mark Wood, recovering from a heel injury, and young leg-spinner Mason Crane also in the equation as England try to avoid a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in the last two matches.

A brief ECB statement read: “Official confirmation that Craig Overton (is) ruled out of this Test match with a fractured rib sustained at the Waca.”

Mitchell Starc’s bruised heel has also put him out of action for the Boxing Day Test, but he is still able to launch verbal ‘bouncers’ at England.

Starc had opposite number James Anderson in his sights as he reflected on his own injury-enforced absence and then backed replacement Jackson Bird to make England’s all-time leading wicket-taker eat his words.

Anderson’s observations – that Australia’s pace resources lack depth – came with England 3-0 down and already beaten in this Ashes series, thanks in part to a home attack led by Starc.

Cricket Australia has confirmed the left-armer will sit out the showpiece fourth Test as the hosts bid to close on a 5-0 whitewash.

Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the fourth Test against England (Getty)

Starc then said: “It’d be pretty selfish of me to go into a game not 100% – especially when Jacko is waiting there and bowling really well.

“I’m really happy for him to get a go, and I hope he takes ‘five-for’ and sticks it up this daft comment from the Poms.”

Starc and combative opening batsman David Warner were the men doing the talking for Australia on Christmas Eve, and predictably neither held back.

The series’ leading wicket-taker added: “I certainly don’t like facing Jacko in the nets, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do to the English batters.

“He still bowls quick enough – pretty sure he still bowls quicker than the Poms.

“They haven’t taken 20 wickets yet in the series, and we have – then they’re having a crack at our depth.

“I think they’ve got bigger things to worry about than the depth of Australian fast bowlers.”

There will be no let-up in the barrage of short balls for England’s batsmen from one to 11.

Starc said: “I’m pretty sure our guys have copped enough bouncers, and we haven’t whinged about it yet – as far as I know, our guys will keep bouncing their batters.

“The plan to the tail has always been the same, be very aggressive, bowl fast, get up in their noses and have them jumping around.

“We’re 3-0 up ... and I hope by the end of the week, it’s 4-0 ... and they won’t have too much else to say.”

David Warner took a similar angle as Starc (Getty)

Warner soon took guard on the same subject.

“We don’t dwell on what (Anderson) says at all,” Warner said. “He can fire those barbs ... but our depth is fantastic. I just think England aren’t used to producing fast bowlers.”

Reminded that Anderson had a few things to say to home captain Steve Smith while England were briefly competitive in the second Test at Adelaide, Warner added: “Conditions must have suited Jimmy there.

“He talks about us being up all the time when we’re in front – but (it was) a different story there when he was firing shots at the captain apparently.

“Then he went very quiet as soon as he saw the wicket went quite flat at the WACA.

“We’ve probably shut them up a little bit at the moment ... (but) I love it when we’re in a bit of a contest, and I feel like they were quite flat in WA.”

(Steve Smith is nursing a sore hand after being struck during nets practice Getty) (Getty)

Smith took a blow to his right hand in bizarre circumstances while waiting to bat in the MCG nets on Sunday when a shot from Cameron Bancroft ricocheted out of his lane.

Warner confirmed the ball struck Smith on a part of his hand already sore from a winter of slip-catching, but insists there is no serious damage.

“He just said before ‘What are the chances of me getting hit on the sore hand?’

“But he’s fine ... there’s absolutely nothing wrong with him.”

PA