England, August 04: Andrew Strauss remains “very confident” that Andrew Flintoff will be fit to play in Friday’s fourth Ashes Test, despite the fast bowler struggling through yesterday’s stalemate at Edgbaston and often looking like a man in need of a rest.
Flintoff bowled only 11 overs on the final day as Australia – in trouble at 161 for four before lunch – batted on and on to reach 375 for five before the two teams shook hands on a draw. By that stage Ricky Ponting’s team were ahead by 262 runs with fewer than 14 overs remaining. Ponting later suggested that Flintoff “visibly went downhill pretty quickly through the course of the game”. The all-rounder, who bowled England to victory at Lord’s and is determined to play in the final two matches of the series before retiring from Test cricket, is under constant treatment for a knee injury.
“He seems OK,” insisted Strauss. “It was one of those situations towards the end where I’m conscious there is no point in tearing him to death when there’s not a lot going on. But I think he is doing OK and we are still very confident he will be OK for Headingley.
–Agencies