London, July 23: Andrew Flintoff has warned his teammates against lowering their guard in the remaining Ashes series and said there was still a long way to go for England in its bid to regain the prestigious trophy.
”If we think we have done anything so far then we will get found out,” he said. ”We have won one Test match and that’s all we’ve won. It’s great and we enjoyed it but it’s now about getting ready for next week and we have got to perform as we have or even better.
”The two sides are dramatically different in appearance from the last time we played in 2005 and I think they are close. That’s what we might see over the next three matches, the series is obviously hotting up nicely,” Flintoff added.
The injuries have troubled the all-rounder throughout his career and although his knee is not 100 per cent fit, Flintoff is desperate to play in the remaining three Tests against Australia.
He also insisted that his sole attention is to make himself available for the rest of the series and treating the knee as carefully as possible.
”There is no time for sentiment,” he said. ”I will worry about that when I finish at The Oval. Walking off for the last time at Lord’s the other day was special. I sat in the dressing room and had a look around and felt pretty pleased with myself.
”It probably hasn’t hit me yet, in a few weeks, maybe when the lads are playing in South Africa this winter, that’s when it will hit me. But for now I just want to focus on playing at Edgbaston and performing,” the burly all-rounder told The Independent.
He further urged the need to preserve Test cricket in the time when Twenty20 cricket has taken the world by storm.
”The public will decide the future of Test cricket.
”If people turn out to watch Twenty20 and not Test cricket then it could happen. In England we need to maintain the appeal it has.
We have seen in the past few years what it means to people and we have to preserve that for the good of the game and the tradition behind it because it is a great format. ”The one thing we need to do to continue to maintain Test cricket as being special is cutting down the amount and make it a real occasion rather than playing one after another,” he opined.
Flintoff has already announced his retirement from Test cricket after the ongoing Ashes series but there would be a deep irony if his long-term presence in Twenty20 further erodes the appeal of Test cricket, which in 2005 he did so much to revitalise. ”It was interesting coming here today and asking the kids what form of cricket they like best. ”They like the glitz and glamour of Twenty20 but maybe Twenty20 could have a knock-on effect so that players start with it and then work out how to play the longer form. ”So it could have a positive effect but it’s going to have to be handled very delicately,” he claimed.
Asked if he had any regrets like taking on the captaincy in the last Ashes series, perhaps, which ended in a 5-0 whitewash for Australia and left Flintoff visibly scarred with pain.
”When you get offered the captaincy you’ve got to have a go,” he said. ”In India, where it went well, I was playing well and anything that needed doing I’d do it myself. When I wasn’t playing well it was tough. I’m glad I had a go, maybe it saved (Andrew) Straussy. It might have been different. The right man has ended up with the job but maybe I took one for the team out in Australia and now Straussy can go about his business.”
—-Agencies