ENGLAND : Andrew Flintoff
ENGLAND’S ebullient allrounder has suffered two years hampered by injuries.
His latest problem, a damaged knee incurred on Indian Premier League duty, delayed his first appearance in domestic cricket until June 11.
There is no doubt that 31-yearold Flintoff is a man the Australians fear and he has undoubtedly saved some of his best displays for them.
If he can reproduce a fraction of the impact he had on the 2005 series, then England’s chances of wresting back the urn will improve immeasurably.
However, one of sport’s most bizarre statistics is that England have been more successful without Flintoff than with him since the Trafalgar Square celebrations of four years ago.
England have won only three of his 21 appearances since, whereas without him they have triumphed a dozen times in 25 matches.
As Mark Twain insisted, though, there are ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’ and Flintoff will have to disprove the counter-theorists who claim England are now better when he is hors de combat.
Every time England needed a wicket in 2005, Flintoff delivered and that altering of a match’s momentum is a priceless commodity for a fielding captain.
His ability to land the ball on the spot at speeds approaching 90 miles per hour could be crucial again but while his bowling has improved in recent years, it has dove-tailed with a regression in his batting.
Therefore a move down to number seven will give Flintoff licence to play a more aggressive role and may stimulate the kind of innings he produced in passing the 400-run mark during his man-ofthe- series exploits in 2005.
AUSTRALIA: Mitchell Johnson
AUSTRALIA desperately sought a Flintoff clone in the aftermath of 2005.
Their first-choice Shane Watson was thrust into the Test team but he struggled with injuries and so the experiment of fielding a genuine pacebowling all-rounder was relatively short-lived.
The Australians might have inadvertently found another four years later in left-arm paceman Johnson, whose batting ability belies his place at number eight.
In addition to his 33 wickets in six Tests against South Africa last winter, he smashed a maiden Test hundred and also registered an unbeaten 96.
Those kind of hard-hitting innings will certainly bode well for the Australians’ lower order in this summer’s tussles, particularly if the matches are as tight as they were in 2005.
Sizeable scores from the tail will be priceless and the Queenslander is certainly the most gifted striker of a ball in either side’s batting basement.
But it is primarily on his wickettaking prowess that Johnson will be judged and Australia will need their new spearhead to continue his hot streak.
In the post-Shane Warne era, they have had to work harder for their rewards and employ more mainstream methods.
Warne’s 40 wickets kept the series close four years ago but this time their spin options are limited, so successes with the new ball will be crucial.
Johnson’s strike rate has risen in the most recent months of his Test career following the discovery of a delivery which swings back into the right-hander.
In his initial days at the top table he was something of a one-trick pony - albeit one whose fast shoulder hurtled the ball down at 90mph - but batsmen can no longer leave him on the angle, which makes him a threat to both edges of the bat.
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