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Cricket

Flintoff fails with bat but backed for Test return

24/04/2008

Andrew Flintoff suffered a golden duck today, but Lancashire batsman Paul Horton feels his team-mate is ready to return to international cricket.

The England all-rounder edged behind first ball off Peter Trego as his team slumped to 221-9 in their first innings – still 17 runs behind Somerset in the second day of the County Championship match at Old Trafford.

Horton, who scored a half-century in the Lancashire innings, said: "In the nets, he's (Flintoff) hitting the ball as well as I've ever seen him.

"He looks the best out of us; he's hitting the ball very hard, as he always does. He just needs games under his belt - he could get a hundred next innings."

England play New Zealand in the first Test at Lords in three weeks time, and although his batting let him down, Flintoff made an impressive comeback with his bowling.

The 30-year-ol bowled 16 overs yesterday and took three wickets for 40 runs. Somerset batsman Marcus Trescothick faced Flintoff and also feels his former England team-mate should play against New Zealand.

"He's ready to go. That's as good as he'll bowl - I don't think he'll get into a Test match against New Zealand in a couple of weeks' time and bowl any differently," said Trescothick.

"Bowling-wise, he's ready. It was tough. He bowled really well today - very consistent pace."

Flintoff has had four operations on his troublesome ankle which has caused him to miss long-spells of cricket since before the Ashes series in 2005.