Time for Freddie to return?
It's one of the biggest debates surrounding the preview to the up coming test series against New Zealand and is certainly a difficult decision for the England cricket selectors. Should Andrew Flintoff be recalled?
The biggest character in English cricket is fit again and has been playing for Lancashire in the last few weeks after a number of ankle operations that have hampered his England career.
There is an argument that he should be held back. After all, New Zealand are hardly likely to cause England too many problems - with or without Freddie. The likes of Sidebottom, Panesar and Broad should be able to handle the likes of McCullum, How and Taylor. The only shining lights in what is a much depleted Kiwi batting line up.
Freddie has had too many injury setbacks in his career to throw him in just yet. If it was against Australia, then he would be recalled. Against the team ranked 7th in the world - is there really any point? If he came back and got himself injured during a convincing victory for England in which he played little part in, people would question the selectors. If they pick him, it's a calculated risk of which the England selectors are not exactly famous for.
Something else that should be holding him back from a return to the England fold is his batting form. Freddie is supposed to be one of the best all-rounders in the world and at the moment, he can't hold a bat.
He recorded two ducks in Lancashire's recent County Championship fixture and hasn't found runs easy to come by in recent weeks.
Which leads onto the next dilemma for the selectors. Is Freddie good enough for England as just a bowler? Could he bat down at 7 or 8 if it meant he was one of the front line seamers? I think he could. The England bowling attack always looks stronger with Flintoff as part of it. Justin Langer recently said that he was the best pace bowler in world cricket right now. A high accolade indeed and one which highlights the problems Flintoff causes for batsmen.
However, for now let him continue his journey back to fitness with his county during the New Zealand series. This will allow him time to continue his excellent bowling form and time to rediscover some sort of batting form. Bring him back, raring to go, against South Africa in the second part of the summer. It's a much tougher series and one which a fit Andrew Flintoff will revel in.
The biggest character in English cricket is fit again and has been playing for Lancashire in the last few weeks after a number of ankle operations that have hampered his England career.There is an argument that he should be held back. After all, New Zealand are hardly likely to cause England too many problems - with or without Freddie. The likes of Sidebottom, Panesar and Broad should be able to handle the likes of McCullum, How and Taylor. The only shining lights in what is a much depleted Kiwi batting line up.
Freddie has had too many injury setbacks in his career to throw him in just yet. If it was against Australia, then he would be recalled. Against the team ranked 7th in the world - is there really any point? If he came back and got himself injured during a convincing victory for England in which he played little part in, people would question the selectors. If they pick him, it's a calculated risk of which the England selectors are not exactly famous for.Something else that should be holding him back from a return to the England fold is his batting form. Freddie is supposed to be one of the best all-rounders in the world and at the moment, he can't hold a bat.
He recorded two ducks in Lancashire's recent County Championship fixture and hasn't found runs easy to come by in recent weeks.
Which leads onto the next dilemma for the selectors. Is Freddie good enough for England as just a bowler? Could he bat down at 7 or 8 if it meant he was one of the front line seamers? I think he could. The England bowling attack always looks stronger with Flintoff as part of it. Justin Langer recently said that he was the best pace bowler in world cricket right now. A high accolade indeed and one which highlights the problems Flintoff causes for batsmen.
However, for now let him continue his journey back to fitness with his county during the New Zealand series. This will allow him time to continue his excellent bowling form and time to rediscover some sort of batting form. Bring him back, raring to go, against South Africa in the second part of the summer. It's a much tougher series and one which a fit Andrew Flintoff will revel in.
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