Flintoff: we’re ready to hit back

ANDREW FLINTOFF is confident he has seen enough of a response from his under-fire England squad to believe they can be competitive in the remainder of the Ashes series.

The England captain and the rest of the touring party have faced several days of self-analysis following their comprehensive 277-run defeat at the Gabba.

The resounding manner of their defeat has provoked fears the tourists, missing key figures from their 2005 Ashes winning line-up in Michael Vaughan and Simon Jones, may be dominated throughout the series.

But Flintoff has witnessed a determined response over the last few days and believes England are more than capable of being competitive over the remaining four Tests.

“The way we’ve practised this week has been fantastic,” Flintoff said. “I think everyone realises that we’re better than how we performed last week. We’re a better side than that, and the net practices have been unbelievably competitive.

“Kevin Pietersen came out of the net yesterday and said it was like batting in a Test match. The bowlers are keen to prove they are better than what they showed in Brisbane and made it hard for the batsmen in the nets.”

Flintoff has been pleased not only at England’s response in practice, but also in their general demeanour.

“The heads were never going to go down because we’ve got four Tests to go,” he added.

“We lost the Test but there is a lot of character in this dressing room. The lads want to win out here in Australia and I don’t think they need any more incentive or any more rallying around.

“They are keen to put good performances in and there is still a real nice feeling in the dressing room, as there was before the last one, but there are some really determined lads aiming to try and show what we can do.

“They are tough lads and proud of the way they play their cricket. We’ve played well for the past two or three years and they want to play like that again — it’s not knocked the stuffing out of us by any stretch.”

After several months on the sidelines since undergoing a second operation on his left ankle, Lancashire all-rounder Flintoff is also positive about the progress with his bowling.

He delivered 35 overs in Brisbane and was widely regarded as the pick of England’s attack, but contributed only five overs in the second innings.

But Flintoff insisted he is feeling fine, adding: “I’m pleased with my bowling, but the one thing I am going to have to monitor is the amount of overs I do bowl.

“History suggests if I bowl too much then something goes wrong. I’m monitoring the way I do bowl and I’m pleased with the way it comes out of the hand.

“I’m not one for bowling much in the nets and I’m at the point where I’m comfortable and I’m trying to use myself wisely when I come on.”

His Aussie counterpart Ricky Ponting believes the series could be lit up by a long-running confrontation between Hampshire team-mates Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen.

The Australia captain was as fascinated as the rest of the Gabba crowd at the stormy confrontation between the pair during Australia’s resounding 277-run victory in the opening Test.

“I think Warney thrives on it,” said Ponting. “He likes being in one-on-one battles, a bit like Matthew Hayden does, and Steve Waugh used to be exactly the same.

“They used to go almost looking for something like that to get them going a little bit more. I know Warney and Kevin would have enjoyed that confrontation they had the other day that went on for a couple of hours, and there’s no doubt you’re going to see a lot more of that as the series goes on.

“But I know as a batter you can’t afford to get too aggressive because at the end of the day the bowler always gets the ball back. It doesn’t matter how far you hit it — it always comes back to him.”

England go into the second Test without assistant coach Matthew Maynard, who flew home yesterday after his wife Sue fell and broke her hip and arm in a fall at home.