Freddie - I'm ready

All-rounder eyeing Lord's return

Last updated: 9th May 2008

Freddie - I'm ready

Flintoff: seven Notts wickets

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England talisman Andrew Flintoff has urged the selectors to name him in the side for next week's first Test against New Zealand.

The Lancashire all-rounder has not played for his country for more than a year but after taking seven of 13 Durham wickets to fall at Old Trafford this week, he is raring to get back into international action.

"I definitely feel I could play a Test match now," Flintoff told The Sun. "I've missed a lot of international cricket in the past, so I'm itching to play for England once more.

"My bowling in both forms of the game has been going very well. The ball is coming out nicely and there have been no ill-effects or twinges in the ankle, which is a big relief."

The selectors will announce the side for Lord's on Sunday and Flintoff is aware he faces competition from England's other seamers.

Firing

"As far as the Test is concerned, we'll just have to wait and see," he said. "Most of the England bowlers are firing.

"Jimmy Anderson and Matthew Hoggard are taking wickets, big Steve Harmison is bowling well against us this week and Stuart Broad and Ryan Sidebottom are bowling well for Notts.

"What really pleases me is I have bowled some eight-over spells and 12 in a session on Wednesday with no problems.

"I had a bit of body stiffness when I first started bowling again but I feel confident and the opposition we've faced in county cricket has been tough."

Flintoff has had two ducks in the current Championship game but he is confident that is just a temporary blip.

"In the nets, I'm hitting the ball fine," he added. "Anyone can get a first-baller and, in fairness, I got a good delivery from Peter Trego against Somerset and the ball against Durham on Wednesday moved enough to take the edge.

Pride

"I still consider myself a batting all-rounder. I think I always will. I would say I take more pride in my batting. I just need to get a score and I'll be fine. If I do play for England again, I'd love to bat as high up the order as I can.

"But I know I've not set the world alight with my batting so far, so don't feel in any position to say where I want to bat.

"I'd love to have both parts of the game working well, though that's not possible very often when you're an all-rounder. Normally, the batting or the bowling is going better."

Comments (5)

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Christopher Grathwohl says...

Freddie is just as ready with the bat as say, Vaughan, Collie, Cook, not sure if Bell has been playing so I can't name him, but add that Freddie is also the best Pace bowler in England. So why should Freddie not be selected in the Test Team? You can say that anyone of the aboved named players is one knock away from form with the bat. Freddie knows what is a stake beter then anyone else, he is the one who has gone through the operations and also knows how his ankle has felt when it hasn't worked. So how can all these other people know better? If Freddie says he is fit and pain-free then I would bet the farm he isn't lieing just to get into the team. Now as far as getting injured, which player doesn't face the threat of injury when playing? if Vaughans knee anymore stable? at least Freddie can run, lets face it watching Vaughan chase down a ball is at best time consuming. Collie obviously has something wrong with his shoulder, it has been a problem since the end of the 20/20 in South Africa. I donot care who has won what, as a selector you have to put the best players on the field regardless of the competition, otherwise it spreads the wrong impressions in the team, not to mention it beliddles the opposition and 99% of the time fires them up. Siddy and Freddie with the new ball is intimidating to any starting pair, anywhere!

Posted 00:31 10th May 2008

Craig Mcmullen says...

Get Him In:Simple As And on who to drop jimmy inconsistent Anderson the 1 who is brilliant then very bad i herd colly is a doubt if so Freddie will take his place you wont him back to his 2005 ashes form just hoy him in at the deep he likes a challenge if he does get in just watch Also Vaughan needs to start scoring some runs or he could be the next to get the axe

Posted 19:20 9th May 2008

Oli Williams says...

Freddie is not ready! I could not justify picking him in the side as an all-rounder, as to be fair at the moment he is seriously struggling with the bat, two first ballers in the cc this season. I don't question his ability with the ball he is ready to be put in the side as a bowler but with his injury history can you have a front line bowler with such a sizeable question mark hanging over his head. I think get the batting sorted, which I don't doubt he will and get him fired up for SA or the next ashes! The other question is who would you drop to fit Fred in, not Jimmy, Broady or Sidebottom nor an all-rounder?

Posted 11:05 9th May 2008

Wayne Gorrett says...

...sorry, Freddie, we're not ready for you.

Posted 10:29 9th May 2008

Hermes Solomonides says...

i think freddie will come good with his batting this summer. there is no doubt that his bowling is good enough, Flintoff is one of the most consistent seamers in the world, when he is not injured. Flintoff is the kind of batsman that can take a game away from you. all he needs is a bit of confidence and a good knock

Posted 09:39 9th May 2008
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