Atherton says Flintoff bowled with unprecedented hostility

Sometime England headwaiter Michael Atherton has praised Saint Flintoff for his superior bowling intend of fin for 92 on the fifth and terminal day of the Peerage's Experiment, but warned that England soothe acquire a endless way to go in the Ashes playoff. "Plain, the big account of the day is Saint Flintoff's first-ever five-wicket haulage at Nobleman's. He bowled superbly. I don't imagine I've e'er seen an Nation chapeau with as often criticism and antagonism as he had this greeting," The Present quoted Atherton, as language. He also said that Flintoff seems to change made up his mid to leave Endeavor cricket despite his execution. When asked roughly his conversation with Indweller policeman Ricky Ponting, Atherton said that he was really urbane in licking. "I did cerebrate him the chance to bonk a bit of a whinge, active the umpiring or whatsoever, but he refused. Instead, he was artless and admitted his broadside were outplayed. The move in transform were equally refined and assumptive his honesty with a nutlike of commendation," he said. He said that State person serious problems with their bowling. "I judge their flack but isn't as advantage as England's. When you've got two relatively evenly paired sides, it's the one with the optimal attack that give win the matches," Atherton said. England on the opposite writing would go into the ordinal Endeavour with a brobdingnagian supercharge of certainty. "But they'll think that there's a longer way to go. They'll also mention that Continent went one-nil up in the series in 2005 - taking an aboriginal section doesn't necessarily normal you'll win the Ashes," he said.

IPL good for me on and off the field: Flintoff

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has insisted that his lucrative involvement in the Indian Premier League can do him a power of good - on and off the field. Flintoff, signed for 1.5 million dollars by the IPL's Chennai Super Kings franchise, has been dogged by injuries. The England all-rounder believes the competition that gets underway in South Africa will boost his fitness for this summer's Ashes. He also admits that the cash point will put a smile on his face as his bank balance rockets. "I have missed so much cricket through injury that I don't want to miss any more. I've not played a lot of Twenty20 cricket and I'd like to play more. I'm not saying the money is not very appealing - but there's a lot more to it," The Sun quoted Flintoff, as saying. "I spent several weeks working hard at my fitness when I came back from the West Indies and, hopefully, that will stand me in good stead come the summer. When I get back from the IPL I can assure you I'll be looking forward to playing with England again. The Ashes means everything to me," he added. Flintoff has also been tipped to captain England in the Twenty20 World Cup. He said: "I have not thought about it a great deal but it would be something I'd have to think about and see if I could be the best man for the job. I don't think many people would turn it down."
The other leading contender to become captain of the Twenty20 side is Robert Key, who has missed little cricket for Kent.