Moores urges caution over Flintoff

29 June 2008

Peter Moores will monitor Andrew Flintoff's progress for Lancashire at Sussex

England coach Peter Moores insists he and his fellow selectors will not rush Andrew Flintoff back into the international arena if they feel the all-rounder is not ready.

England announce the squad for the first npower Test against South Africa on Thursday, a week before the Lord’s clash gets under way.

Flintoff returned to first-class action for Lancashire today following six weeks out of action with a side strain.

He showed outstanding control with the ball, bowling 14 wicketless overs before tea against LV County Champions Sussex at Hove.

The 30-year-old continued not to suffer discomfort in his left ankle since undergoing a fourth operation last autumn.

Moores said: “We will meet up and talk about that Test match team but we have to be sure that we’re not going to put Andrew Flintoff in jeopardy if we don’t think he is bowling-fit.

“He is back on the park and bowling which is great but we are also sensible about it because we know you have to be bowling-fit rather than just get the injury right - that is common sense - and so far we’ve gone through with Andrew and done it right.

“We’ve taken plenty of time with this latest injury. He’s worked hard to get back on the park, so the first job is to get out there and play.”

The opening match of four npower Tests may come too soon for Flintoff, who has not played Test cricket for 18 months.

Without his controlled hostility with the ball, England’s attack have competed manfully in the 3-1 NatWest Series reverse and it was dropped catches and another disappointing batting effort which contributed to a sixth defeat in nine completed one-day internationals against the Black Caps this year.

Kevin Pietersen led England for the first time in the absence of the suspended Paul Collingwood, who is serving a four-match ban for England's slow over-rate at the Brit Oval.

Flintoff directs a delivery at Matt Prior's ribcage during a fiery spell for Lancashire against Sussex

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Moores was pleased with Pietersen’s decision-making in the field, especially as he had to conjure 10 overs from England’s part-time bowlers in Collingwood’s absence.

“I thought he did a really good job,” Moores said. “The decisions he made out there were good, he was calm and handled his bowlers well.

“When they got away a couple of times - and they are very impressive hitters - he changed his fields and lines to bowl to them.”

England were confident of chasing down New Zealand’s score of 266 and were given a platform by new opening pair Ian Bell and Alastair Cook, pitted together as part of reshuffle to accommodate Collingwood's absence.

But once again England failed to build on a promising start of 53 without loss, as Bell, Cook and Bopara all were out when set.

Despite a fine innings of 69 from Owais Shah, the New Zealanders then tightened the noose in mid-innings as left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and man of the series Tim Southee each claimed three wickets.

“No-one gets out on purpose, because they want to get runs, there is no doubt about that,” Moores said of England’s latest batting failures.

“One of the challenges in one-day cricket is to mature players.

“We know it is older players who often develop that consistency and there has to be a balance between that and younger players.

“Part of the job is to identify the players and then get them through to be consistent."