Good News- Andrew Flintoff out of both tests due to Injury

[Runtings]

Just read on BBC website that Andrew Flintoff is injured for both test matches against Bd, due to injury.

He hopes to fit for the 3 ODI's

[James90]

WOOHOO!!!!

[Ehsan]

Thats is what I call a News. Great!!!

[chinaman]

LONDON (Reuters) - England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will miss both tests in Bangladesh this month with a groin injury, the English Cricket Board (ECB) has said.

But the board hope the Lancashire player will be available for the one-day series there and for both the test and one-day series in Sri Lanka. Flintoff will be replaced in the test squad for the trip to Bangladesh by Kent's Martin Saggers.

The 31-year-old uncapped pace bowler had planned to play club cricket in South Africa this winter, but arrangements are now being made for him to join up with the England test squad in Dhaka later this week.

ECB chief medical officer Peter Gregory said on Monday: "Andrew Flintoff continues to suffer pain in his groin and has not recovered sufficiently since the last test against South Africa to pass a pre-tour fitness test.

"He will remain in the UK and continue a rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the Lancashire physiotherapist Dave Roberts."

Chairman of selectors, David Graveney, said: "We decided not to opt for a like-for-like replacement for Andrew Flintoff as we already have two batting all-rounders in the squad in Rikki Clarke and Paul Collingwood.

"Martin had been placed on standby for the test squad this winter and his inclusion will give us extra options in the pace bowling department."

England are playing two tests and three one-dayers on the Bangladesh tour, which runs from October 12 to November 12. They then play Sri Lanka in three one-day internationals before a three-test series from November 18 to December 22.

Source

[chinaman]

Martin Saggers will replace Andrew Flintoff

[Sham]

The best part about Flintoff being out is, not only does it mean that we won't have to play against him, this will also screw up the balance of the England side. Having Flintoff in the side gave them a big advantage because he would have probably batted at 6. But now that he isn't there, they are gonna have to play Collingwood at 6 (if they play Clarke, BD should have a field day).

If Collingwood bats at 6, who really is a specialist batsman rather than an all-rounder, England will be left with only 4 bowlers. They will have to sacrifice one spinner, probably Batty, and have three seamers and Giles.

So, where England would have had three seamers and two spinners, they will now have three seamers and one spinners. On top of that, the seamer who will probably replace Freddie, (Johnson or Saggers) will not be as good as Freddie, and also will not have experience at the highest level in the sub-continent.

So, basically, this is good!

[Sham]

I don't really understand why Martin Saggers is the replacement for Flintoff. I can understand that he is not a like-for-like replacement (largely because England does not have a like-for-like replacement for Flintoff), but if they wanted to reinforce the seam attack, is a 31 year old Sagger's the right person to do it?

If they wanted an experienced and steady seamer, I would have picked Bicknell. And if they wanted a slightly younger and quicker bowler which is what I would do, I would have picked Jon Lewis of Gloucestershire or Yorkshire's Kirby or Silverwood.

Anyway, I'm a little surprised by this choice, even though Saggers had a good season. I just never thought of Saggers as being the ideal bowler for the subcontinent. Maybe he will prove me wrong.

[Orpheus]

Sham, just wondering - Is England your second favorite team?

[Sham]

[BangladeshCricket]

Please ppl don't think that Bangladesh will draw against England they are very stronger than Pakistan. So, please have a resonable expectation.

[Arnab]

Well Flintoff was the X-Factor.

If we ever reach a winning position like the one we had with Pakistan in Multan, we can be assured that England's "Inzamam" won't be there to bother us.

[Edited on 7-10-2003 by Arnab]

[Optimist]

Flitoff is probably the most important player in the England team. As "sham" has rightly pointed --- The balace of the English team depends on Flintoff; More so in the absence of Alec Stewart.

[Sham]

I think the Inzamam in the England team is Thorpe, not Flintoff. Flintoff can change the scenario pretty quickly, but if we are in a Multan type situation, with someone needing to guide England to victory with the bat, that person will definitely be Thorpe, not Flintoff.

[Arnab]

Hmm...I've always considered Thorpe as a consistent performer, not a match winner. And I haven't ever seen him guide tail enders like Inzy did (which was also a first for Inzy in a test I think), but then again, I haven't seen much English cricket recently and the English prolly haven't been in a situation like that a lot.

The Inzamam analogy came from their similarity in physical stature and how they came to prominence.

[Sham]

The one example that comes to mind is the Finals of an ODI tournament in Sharjah. I think it would have been in the winter of 97/98. England were playing the Windies and Windies had almost won the game when Thorpe brilliantly guided England to the win with the tail. Awesome performance.

By the way Arnab, about to send you a u2u.

[Hasib]

:P:fa nflag::tiger:

[Hasib]

You can tell how happy I'm!!!

[Kalbaisakhi]

Although Flintoff ot of test and oneday due to injury but that is not a good news for Bd.Because we need strong bowling opponent with which we can time to prove that we able to play against strong bating and bowling side.Say one thing to me if Rani pospond the match and if Umpires say that match is draw then is it good news for Bangladesh???????????