Flintoff Showing Signs of Wear and Tear?

[Top_Cat]

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/engvsl/content/current/story/249616.html

I've been saying for some time now that I didn't expect Flintoff to be playing in the Ashes series, that England were over-bowling him, etc. This does not bode well and anyone who's had an ankle injury would testify to that, let alone one as serious as this. It's such a critical area as a bowler and if he's showing bad signs now, what will it be like in a couple of months after the ODI series and a Test series against Pakistan.

Dammit, sometimes I hate it when I'm right.

 

[Craig]

He should of been given a break during the ODIs at some point anyway, if not a whole series.

If he is out of the Ashes then it will be nobodies fault but England's and shows the real lack of quality if you have to rely on a guy to carry the team. I agree Flintoff is vital for England, but somebody now (post Ashes) needs to step up so he isn't over bowled. Either that or poor tatics by Fletcher and/or Flintoff feels he has to carry the bowling load.

 

[Barney Rubble]

He needs to learn to take a back seat sometimes. He can't try and do everything by himself. I'm not surprised he's picked up a knock - it was only a matter of time.

At least if he misses the ODIs, that'll give the mighty Rikki Clarke a comeback.

 

[silentstriker]

Unfortunatly I think that injuries might be becoming a common thing for him. I was watching some slow motion replays of him bowling and I noticed that he puts a lot of stress on his ankles and feet. Maybe it just looks that way, but I was suprised that he could bowl for even the amount that he does with that much stress.

He may need to tone down his pace and rely more on swing and bounce (he's tall so he'll get good bounce), to stay injury free. It's sad though, Flintoff is one of the few fast bowlers that I *LIKE* watching (I prefer spinners, in terms of watching).

 

[andyc]

As much as I'd like him not to be able to play against Australia, it'd be a huge shame for him to be injured and not be able to contest the Ashes again. How bout he just plays the last two, after Australia are 3-0 up?

Obviously when he's captain, it's entirely his choice as to how much he bowls, so maybe it would be a better idea to give the captaincy to someone else (Tresco, or Strauss[?]) so that he doesn't overbowl himself?

 

[luckyeddie]

He should of been given a break during the ODIs at some point anyway, if not a whole series.

If he is out of the Ashes then it will be nobodies fault but England's and shows the real lack of quality if you have to rely on a guy to carry the team. I agree Flintoff is vital for England, but somebody now (post Ashes) needs to step up so he isn't over bowled. Either that or poor tatics by Fletcher and/or Flintoff feels he has to carry the bowling load.

Well, it's only natural to look at the potential or real strengths and weaknesses of a side by looking at the perceived strongest or weakest links. For instance, if Murali had not been playing for Sri Lanka, it would in all likelihood have been a 3-0 cruise, Flintoff would have had a nice gentle stroll to a ton a couple of times, turned his arm over a bit and walked away a hero.

If's a big word though.

One man (two - Vaas with the bat was a revelation) can make a difference sometimes - especially when that one man is class. We're used to that one man being the big Lancastrian, but sometimes it's a chap from the other lot.

In addition, with England already without Harmison, Jones, Giles and Vaughan because of long-term injuries, it was only natural that far too much work was going to fall on the shoulders of the big guy, but in the end I totally agree with Craig.

As I said before yesterday, every test series played by England except one is 'window dressing'. Fair or unfair to the other countries, like it or lump it and much as I love Inzy, the only series that counts to us is the big one against the Aussies.

Screw the ICC rankings, give Fred a break, keep him in mothballs and wheel him out in December, point him at the upside-down chaps and tell him that they stole his bready soldiers for dippy-eggs when he was a kid.

 

[Top_Cat]

He may need to tone down his pace and rely more on swing and bounce (he's tall so he'll get good bounce), to stay injury free.

If there was one thing about Freddie a while ago, it's that when he bowled slower, he was half the bowler. And his bowling in this series against SL has (I think) shown that again. His pace, when he's up around 90mph, is his x-factor because he doesn't get a huge amount of movement generally.

 

[howardj]

Screw the ICC rankings, give Fred a break, keep him in mothballs and wheel him out in December, point him at the upside-down chaps and tell him that they stole his bready soldiers for dippy-eggs when he was a kid.

That's gold. Anyway, yeah, Flintoff should be given a rest, and (like a long distance horse) be trained to the minute for the commencement of the Ashes in November.

 

[silentstriker]

That's gold. Anyway, yeah, Flintoff should be given a rest, and (like a long distance horse) be trained to the minute for the commencement of the Ashes in November.

I am astonished that the mighty English even bother to indulge us lesser sides, instead of just paying Australia every two years, and then taking a two years break.

 

[howardj]

I am astonished that the mighty English even bother to indulge us lesser sides, instead of just paying Australia every two years, and then taking a two years break.

You're nothing but net practice.

 

[UncleTheOne]

If there was one thing about Freddie a while ago, it's that when he bowled slower, he was half the bowler. And his bowling in this series against SL has (I think) shown that again. His pace, when he's up around 90mph, is his x-factor because he doesn't get a huge amount of movement generally.

That's a very good point. Although he still looked dangerous operating at a lower pace earlier in the series against Sri Lanka he just didn't look himself. But on the first day at Trent Bridge against SL he cranked it up to around 90MPH and the Sri Lankas couldn't handle him, the guy really needs a rest, shouldn't even be considered for the ODI's.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Sounds bad. I'd personally write off the rest of the summer for Fred, get him the op (in a report I read today Fred said he'd been feeling his ankle since the end of the Pakistan tour) & hopefully have him fit & champing at the bit for the crims this winter.

Fred's done a creditable job as captain, but I personally wonder if it was the best decision. He's such a big-hearted lad it didn't take Nostradamus to work out he'd over-bowl himself. He was really in a no-win situation: if he rations his overs he's shirking & if he bowls his usual superhuman quotient he's flogging himself silly.

Fred's action is very labour intensive; he doesn't generate his pace from a particularly fast arm action or natural rhythm, he's a big unit who smacks his foot down & gets speed from sheer effort of will. He's our best bowler (don't think too many will demure nowadays) so the temptation is always to turn to him (especially when he's captaining the team himself), but if he isn't rationed he'll be over as a quick before we know it.

It also concerns me that of our quartet of quicks who brought the urn back only the seemingly immortal Hoggy isn't currently broken. Surely an issue for our back up med boys (& girls) to address?

 

[luckyeddie]

I am astonished that the mighty English even bother to indulge us lesser sides, instead of just paying Australia every two years, and then taking a two years break.

So am I.

Frankly, you are a waste of space and I wouldn't bother crossing the road to watch any one of you.

 

[aussie]

For a man who does so much bowling per test he should bot be batting in the top 6 at all even if he is capable of it. That poblem can be erradicated if England drop the spinner pick the extra bat thus allowing him to bowl as much as he can since he is undoubtebly Englands best bowler & bat at #7. Plus in a few ODI's he can be rested.

But England management clearly don't want to take that option so Flintoff problems would persist unfortunately.

 

[open365]

I'm not suprised he has ankle trouble, he puts a massive amount of stress on it through delivery and he has his front foot pointed towards fine leg when he bowls which makes it even worse.

 

[luckyeddie]

For a man who does so much bowling per test he should bot be batting in the top 6 at all even if he is capable of it. That poblem can be erradicated if England drop the spinner pick the extra bat thus allowing him to bowl as much as he can since he is undoubtebly Englands best bowler & bat at #7. Plus in a few ODI's he can be rested.

But England management clearly don't want to take that option so Flintoff problems would persist unfortunately.

Might I remind you that you need to take 20 wickets in order to win a test match?

If England's 'Big 4' seam attack are all fit, then I might just agree with you a bit (that's because I'm being particularly charitable today).

However, they are not, and with a seam attack that includes two out of the likes of Anderson, Plunkett, Mahmood and Lewis, there's no 'devil' in it, and precious little variation. Consequently, a spinner (and therefore 5 bowlers) is an absolute must. A few more weeks of this baking weather and I'd be advocating bringing Giles in AS WELL.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

I'm not suprised he has ankle trouble, he puts a massive amount of stress on it through delivery and he has his front foot pointed towards fine leg when he bowls which makes it even worse.

I must say he was quite something to behold from the top of the Radcliffe Road Stand, Christ knows what it must be like watching him steam in at you, a big unit indeed.

 

[marc71178]

For a man who does so much bowling per test he should bot be batting in the top 6 at all even if he is capable of it. That poblem can be erradicated if England drop the spinner pick the extra bat thus allowing him to bowl as much as he can since he is undoubtebly Englands best bowler & bat at #7. Plus in a few ODI's he can be rested.

So reduece the problem by giving him a bigger workload - good logic there

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

It'll be disappointing if he's not fit and firing come Ashes time, both from a neutral perspective and an Australian one. It'd be a shame to regain the Ashes and have to deal with 2 and half years of "if only we'd had Flintoff!".

 

[Autobahn]

Might I remind you that you need to take 20 wickets in order to win a test match?

If England's 'Big 4' seam attack are all fit, then I might just agree with you a bit (that's because I'm being particularly charitable today).

However, they are not, and with a seam attack that includes two out of the likes of Anderson, Plunkett, Mahmood and Lewis, there's no 'devil' in it, and precious little variation. Consequently, a spinner (and therefore 5 bowlers) is an absolute must. A few more weeks of this baking weather and I'd be advocating bringing Giles in AS WELL.

Plus with over-rate requirements the way they are today, it's very hard too keep four pacers going the whole day.