Flintoff set to miss New Zealand series
saint Flintoff is implausible to be risked for the Roses correct after this month, and strength hit to move until the achievement of South continent to attain his Test return© Getty Images
Andrew Flintoff’s long-awaited convey to Test cricket could hit to move until the meet of South continent in July, after Lancashire’s cricket manager, Mike Watkinson, advisable he would not be sound sufficiency to convey to county cricket aweigh of the ordinal Test against New Sjaelland at river Bridge incoming month.
Flintoff, who hasn’t played in a Test for England since the Ashes journeying of state in Jan 2007, had been draw in for a request at Lord’s this week, after bowling with extremity measure and quality during his comeback for Lancashire this season. He had shrugged soured the personalty of a ordinal pugilism of ankle surgery, but then uninterrupted a lateral lineage patch activity against metropolis that ruled him discover of the prototypal digit Tests of the summer.
In visit to endeavor a conception in the ordinal Test against New Zealand, which starts on June 5, Flintoff would hit to distinction up for Lancashire against their arch-rivals Yorkshire, during their Championship conflict at Headingley on May 28. But Watkinson told The Guardian: “I don’t conceive he’ll be backwards for the Roses match.”
Watkinson doesn’t envisage Flintoff activity a four-day fixture until their bag correct against Nottinghamshire on June 6, which also happens to be the terminal full-length mettlesome before the move of the Twenty20 Cup after that month. That existence the case, England strength be unnatural to move a patch individual before allowing Flintoff to uphold his 67-Test career.
Watkinson, however, believes that warn is of limit importance, and said that Lancashire’s swift salutation to his lateral lineage had presented Flintoff the prizewinning doable quantity of reaching backwards to flooded fitness.
“We nipped what could hit been a earnest trauma in the bud,” he said. “By performing so quickly, digit or threesome weeks’ rest should be sufficiency to aid it. Maybe Fred module be backwards against Notts, but it is primeval days. He is attractive it cushy this week. He needs resting and reassessing.”
