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Flintoff wants 'fearless' England in Ashes
Andrew Flintoff has said England must be "fearless without being reckless" if they are to regain the Ashes on home soil this year.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: May 17, 2009 10:40 AM IST
Read Time:3 min
London:
The injury-prone all-rounder, doubtful for the five-Test series against Australia that starts in July with a knee injury that is set to rule him out of next month's World Twenty20, was England's stand-out player when they won the Ashes in 2005.
But he was also England's captain when they were thrashed 5-0 during the last Ashes campaign, in Australia in 2006/07.
Flintoff, in an interview with Sky Sports broadcast on Saturday, put that reverse down to a lack of self-belief.
"In 2006-07 the tide had changed considerably. We had people who'd never played against Australia and had no experience of them," the 31-year-old said.
"I think we were caught cold - we had players looking at the Aussies in awe of them," the Lancashire hero added.
"They were looking around and thinking 'How am I going to get this fellow out? How am I going to bat against him'?," explained Flintoff, an aggressive pace bowler and, at his best, a hard-hitting batsman.
"That's got to be taken away."
Asked what England would need to do to beat Ricky Ponting's side this time around, Flintoff replied: "We have to be very positive - fearless without being reckless. We have to take Australia on."
Flintoff though was far from optimistic about his chances of playing in the World Twenty20 following an operation on a torn meniscus in his right knee.
"The specialist is pleased with my progress. But I'm still a while away from running - another week-and-a-half or so," he added.
"One of the things we have to be careful about is swelling, so it is constantly icing and monitoring.
"I am in the Twenty20 squad. But to play in that, rehab will have to go well - and I'll have to be a bit lucky as well."
Flintoff injured himself playing in the Indian Premier League - having been allowed to participate in the lucrative Twenty20 competition by English officials despite an England central contract designed to give the national management control over when he plays and when he rests.
For many observers his trip to South Africa was an accident waiting to happen but Flintoff said: "There has been criticism from ill-informed people in some quarters. But if I had been playing for Lancashire, the same thing would have happened."
Now though he is looking forward to facing Australia.
"The big one is the Ashes. Having experienced it before, I desperately want to play in it again."
Flintoff has not made a first-class hundred since the 2005 Ashes and would love nothing more than to rediscover his best batting form against England's oldest foes.
"Through injury, my batting has suffered a little bit - and that hits your confidence as well," he said. "I take more pride in my batting than my bowling - so when I don't score runs, nobody feels it more than me."
Andrew Flintoff has said England must be "fearless without being reckless" if they are to regain the Ashes on home soil this year.The injury-prone all-rounder, doubtful for the five-Test series against Australia that starts in July with a knee injury that is set to rule him out of next month's World Twenty20, was England's stand-out player when they won the Ashes in 2005.
But he was also England's captain when they were thrashed 5-0 during the last Ashes campaign, in Australia in 2006/07.
Flintoff, in an interview with Sky Sports broadcast on Saturday, put that reverse down to a lack of self-belief.
"In 2006-07 the tide had changed considerably. We had people who'd never played against Australia and had no experience of them," the 31-year-old said.
"I think we were caught cold - we had players looking at the Aussies in awe of them," the Lancashire hero added.
"They were looking around and thinking 'How am I going to get this fellow out? How am I going to bat against him'?," explained Flintoff, an aggressive pace bowler and, at his best, a hard-hitting batsman.
"That's got to be taken away."
Asked what England would need to do to beat Ricky Ponting's side this time around, Flintoff replied: "We have to be very positive - fearless without being reckless. We have to take Australia on."
Flintoff though was far from optimistic about his chances of playing in the World Twenty20 following an operation on a torn meniscus in his right knee.
"The specialist is pleased with my progress. But I'm still a while away from running - another week-and-a-half or so," he added.
"One of the things we have to be careful about is swelling, so it is constantly icing and monitoring.
"I am in the Twenty20 squad. But to play in that, rehab will have to go well - and I'll have to be a bit lucky as well."
Flintoff injured himself playing in the Indian Premier League - having been allowed to participate in the lucrative Twenty20 competition by English officials despite an England central contract designed to give the national management control over when he plays and when he rests.
For many observers his trip to South Africa was an accident waiting to happen but Flintoff said: "There has been criticism from ill-informed people in some quarters. But if I had been playing for Lancashire, the same thing would have happened."
Now though he is looking forward to facing Australia.
"The big one is the Ashes. Having experienced it before, I desperately want to play in it again."
Flintoff has not made a first-class hundred since the 2005 Ashes and would love nothing more than to rediscover his best batting form against England's oldest foes.
"Through injury, my batting has suffered a little bit - and that hits your confidence as well," he said. "I take more pride in my batting than my bowling - so when I don't score runs, nobody feels it more than me."
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