Bluey
15-07-2009, 10:02 AM
Australia's ruthless batting in Cardiff has left Andrew Flintoff's Ashes campaign in jeopardy.
England's most imposing player is struggling with a recurring knee injury after being forced to bowl for three consecutive days in the opening Test as Australia plundered one of the highest scores in Ashes history (674).
Mike Hussey made no apology for Australia's relentless approach, which threatens to force Flintoff out of the second Test, beginning tomorrow at Lord's.
"It was nice to make him do a lot of work in the first Test. And it would be nice in the coming Test matches, if he's fit, to make him work pretty hard again," Hussey said yesterday.
"It would be a huge blow for England because he's such a key player. He adds a lot of balance to the team with his batting and his overs."
Captain Ricky Ponting took a similar approach.
"They've been comprehensively outplayed and all their bowlers and fielders had to spend a lot of time out in the middle," Ponting said.
Paceman Steve Harmison has been called in as cover for Flintoff, expanding England's second Test squad to 14.
Plagued by injuries since his heroic Ashes winning performance in 2005, Flintoff has been forced to endure four ankle operations and, most recently, knee surgery when he controversially broke down during the Indian Premier League in April.
He missed England's two-Test series against the West Indies in May, but was selected for the Ashes squad after some solid county performances.
England captain Andrew Strauss has attempted to play down the seriousness of the problem.
"He has swelling on his knee and, considering his recent injury concerns, we have to be careful," Strauss said.
"He'll be OK, but we'll have to wait and see what the scans show. He is intimidating and we want him there, obviously."
England chairman of selectors Geoff Miller played a similarly straight bat.
"It's just a bit of a reaction to one of the old knee injuries," Miller said.
"I don't think it's too bad, from what we can make out. It's not disastrous, but we've just got to be very wary of it, just monitor it."
England's most imposing player is struggling with a recurring knee injury after being forced to bowl for three consecutive days in the opening Test as Australia plundered one of the highest scores in Ashes history (674).
Mike Hussey made no apology for Australia's relentless approach, which threatens to force Flintoff out of the second Test, beginning tomorrow at Lord's.
"It was nice to make him do a lot of work in the first Test. And it would be nice in the coming Test matches, if he's fit, to make him work pretty hard again," Hussey said yesterday.
"It would be a huge blow for England because he's such a key player. He adds a lot of balance to the team with his batting and his overs."
Captain Ricky Ponting took a similar approach.
"They've been comprehensively outplayed and all their bowlers and fielders had to spend a lot of time out in the middle," Ponting said.
Paceman Steve Harmison has been called in as cover for Flintoff, expanding England's second Test squad to 14.
Plagued by injuries since his heroic Ashes winning performance in 2005, Flintoff has been forced to endure four ankle operations and, most recently, knee surgery when he controversially broke down during the Indian Premier League in April.
He missed England's two-Test series against the West Indies in May, but was selected for the Ashes squad after some solid county performances.
England captain Andrew Strauss has attempted to play down the seriousness of the problem.
"He has swelling on his knee and, considering his recent injury concerns, we have to be careful," Strauss said.
"He'll be OK, but we'll have to wait and see what the scans show. He is intimidating and we want him there, obviously."
England chairman of selectors Geoff Miller played a similarly straight bat.
"It's just a bit of a reaction to one of the old knee injuries," Miller said.
"I don't think it's too bad, from what we can make out. It's not disastrous, but we've just got to be very wary of it, just monitor it."