England are talking a confident game about Andrew Flintoff's fitness for the third Ashes Test.
England confident all-rounder will make Edgbaston Test
England are talking a confident game about Andrew Flintoff's fitness for the Edgbaston Test - but still face a nervous wait before the all-rounder takes the field.
England's selectors have delivered an upbeat bulletin Flintoff's current roadworthiness but know only too well they must oversee day-to-day monitoring of his knee condition.
The Lancashire star has said he will quit Test cricket at the end of the Ashes series but national selector Geoff Miller believes he will battle through to the end of the summer.
"We'll monitor him and see how we go," Miller said.
"Obviously he's got the problem - that's why he made his decision about Test cricket. But I'm sure it'll take wild dogs to keep him off the Test arena for these three matches."
Flintoff's knee needed surgery after a short and controversial stint at the Indian Premier League, and it has since been reported Kevin Pietersen - who will miss the remainder of the Ashes series through injury - also aggravated his Achilles problem taking part in the Twenty20 tournament.
Miller acknowledges there is a need to ensure IPL contracts do not have a detrimental effect on the fitness of centrally-contracted players - but he appears wary, too, of allowing unwanted diversions to intrude on England's so far successful Ashes campaign.
"It wasn't just the IPL which created this injury (to Pietersen) - and it certainly wasn't on Fred as well," Miller insisted.
"That could have happened at any time. It was coincidental."
While Flintoff's well-being is paramount for England for the remainder of the summer - especially with Pietersen out of the equation - vindication for the faith they have shown in Bell would not go amiss either.
"He was brought in to cover in the first two Test matches, so naturally he comes in as a batsman," Miller said of the 27-year-old, who has not played a Test since being dropped after England's defeat in Jamaica more than five months ago.
"Yes, we talked about other players; we continually talk about other players to widen our squad to give us some extra backing or strength in the squad in all areas. On this occasion, Ian was the right choice."
Steve Harmison is retained in the squad as pace-bowling cover for Flintoff and may play depending on conditions in Birmingham.
"He's up there if the opportunity arises, and we'll see what the surface is like," Miller told
Sky Sports News.
"If it's conducive to Steve, then he might get the shout - but we'll wait and see on the morning of the match to make that decision."
