Flintoff adds to England woes

ALL-ROUNDER Andrew Flintoff travels to Tasmania tomorrow with England still not sure of his participation in their match against Australia A as he struggles to regain fitness after a hernia operation.

The Lancashire vice-captain had surgery last August, missing the final Test against India at The Oval, to ensure he would have recovered for the start of the Ashes series. But with only 10 days before the second Test starts in Adelaide his fitness is still an issue.

He was sent for a scan yesterday after complaining of back discomfort while featuring as a substitute fielder for Simon Jones during the Test, and although he has been given the all-clear the tourists’ management are no more than hopeful he will be able to feature in Friday’s match.

England claimed yesterday they were “optimistic” about Flintoff’s participation and have hired a pilates teacher, which they did in South Africa two years ago, to work alongside him to try and speed up his recovery for this Friday’s three-day match.

But should Flintoff fail to recover for this week’s match, it would put his participation in the remainder of the series in doubt because it leads into an intense programme of international matches.

Flintoff’s current state is in stark contrast to the optimistic reports shortly before the first Test when he returned from the Academy in Adelaide, where he had been continuing his rehabilitation, claiming he was ready to play at the Gabba.

After featuring in the warm-up match against Queensland, England decided not to risk him in the Test because he was still feeling stiff after his first competitive cricket in nearly two months.

By now, though, they were expecting him to become a full-time playing member of the squad but instead he has become the latest in a series of injury problems which have plagued England’s preparations for the Ashes series.

Darren Gough was unable to recover from the knee injury which sidelined him for the most of last season despite optimistic reports, Michael Vaughan was touch and go for the Test after a knee operation in September and Simon Jones will shortly be returning home after sustaining ruptured cruciate ligaments in his right knee.

It has been a frustrating period for captain Nasser Hussain, who has already criticised the medical information they were given before the tour started, and coach Duncan Fletcher as they attempt to bounce back from the first Test mauling by Australia.

“Medical advice isn’t a perfect science so it’s difficult,” admitted Fletcher. “Some of the advice we’ve been given has been pretty close but everybody’s got to get involved in this and the players have to make sure they carry out the procedures given to them,” admitted Fletcher.

“In any team you have certain people who look after their own fitness problems and there are other people who need a little bit more guidance.

“Vaughan was spot on and we realised Gough was a risk and Flintoff would be ready about a week before the Test.

“But it’s not a perfect science and suddenly he was probably about a week too late.”