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Flintoff misses out again for England

03/07/2008

Andrew Flintoff has again been omitted from England's Test squad after selectors named an unchanged side to face South Africa.

National selector Geoff Miller said he wanted Flintoff to get more overs under his belt for Lancashire before returning him to the England setup.

He explained any England side would be better off with Flintoff in it but said the South Africa Test had come too early after his recovery from a side strain and earlier ankle surgery.

"Andrew Flintoff has worked extremely hard to be back playing some very good cricket for Lancashire which is a credit to his determination and patience," Miller said.

"We're all eager to see him back playing for England but there's nothing to be gained from rushing him back until he has proved he's ready to meet the demands of Test cricket. There is a lot of cricket on the horizon and we want Andrew to be a part of that without jeopardising his fitness."

Flintoff, along with 2005 Ashes hero Simon Jones, have both been named in the provisional 30-man ICC Champions Trophy squad.

Jones, who has not played for his country since the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in August 2005, is in contention after proving his fitness following a move from Glamorgan to Worcester.

Miller admitted that an England team featuring Flintoff and Jones, as well as Steve Harmison, would be "something special".

The 12-man squad for the July 10th to 14th Lord's Test is identical to the one that defeated New Zealand 2-0 in the recent series.

Captain Michael Vaughan has overcome his own injury doubts to be named in the squad.

Miller told journalists Vaughan was suffering from a "twinge in his knee" but was expected to be fine for the South Africa Test.

England will be record breakers if they stick with the same XI that played in the third Test against the Black Caps at Lord's next week, with no other country naming an unchanged line-up for six straight matches.

"The England Test side has won four of its past five matches and most recently the Test series against New Zealand so we feel there's no need to change a winning formula," Miller said.

England Test squad to play South Africa

Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire, captain), Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire).

Provisional 30-man England ICC Champions Trophy squad

Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), Simon Jones (Worcestershire), Ed Joyce (Middlesex), Robert Key (Kent), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Phil Mustard (Durham), Graham Onions (Durham), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Darren Pattinson (Nottinghamshire), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex), Owais Shah (Middlesex), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).