Flintoff returns for Lanashire against Surrey:16-19 April.

[Aurelius]

Originally Posted by Collyisamackem

Again, too dubious for me. I refuse to cherry pick and a series average of 40+ means you've contributed for me, and besides those performances all came when it mattered.

It's not really cherry-picking. I think that if you have only one substantial score in six, then it's fair to say that they haven't really had a consistently good series. If we take it to the extreme and say that batsman x scored 250, followed by five ducks, and finished with an average of 41, would you say that that batsman had a good series with the bat?

So for my money, and I'd argue that of any reasonable judge (no insult intended, this is purely my opinion), Panesar and Broad cannot be judged not to have contributed well and 'decent' is pretty harsh on that score.

I'll concede that maybe I'm being a little harsh on the bowlers here. But in a away, it's almost the same problem as the batsmen. Panesar took half of his wickets in one innings, and if you look at the match threads quite a few people thought that for the first two Tests he was really pretty ineffective (ironically I was one of the minority defending him on that tour). Broad did make a good contribution, yes, but without Sidebottom's haul of 24 wickets, would that average of 30 be a match-winning contribution? I doubt it.

[Aurelius]

Originally Posted by Ernest

I don't agree he is a constant 87 MPH bowler, and if he is that good - why has he not bowled more overs?.

I'm not sure. I guess it's because he's (rightly) looked at as a batting allrounder, and therefore he can't bowl that well?

LOL are you being serious?, and suggesting Kallis is as good a bowler as Adam Gilchrist is a wicket keeper?

No, not exactly, but I do think that the batting of both overshadows their skills at bowling/wicket-keeping.

At any rate, I certainly think he's a better bowler than a few specialists I can think of- most of whom went for $700+k at the IPL.

Kallis is a great batting all rounder, but England are not without some good players also, so I doubt the series depends on just how well Kallis plays - JIMHO.

No, but I do think he's the best player on both sides, and if he does well, then South Africa should be very tough to beat.

[greg]

Debate over,heard on radio he is injuerd again.

At least it is a side strain and not his ankle though.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by greg

At least it is a side strain and not his ankle though.

Yep, and I wonder if he gets these minor injuries through lack of match practice. That's why unlike FF I would like to see him return as soon as possible.

Originally Posted by BBC

The England and Wales Cricket Board stressed Flintoff's side strain had no connection to the ankle injury which kept him out of England's winter tours to Sri Lanka and New Zealand. It means Flintoff - who has not played for England since the final Ashes match in Sydney in January 2007 - will not figure in the selection process until the third Test at Trent Bridge on 5 June at the earliest.

LINK:BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Injury dashes Flintoff Test hopes

Well at least I will be back in the UK for the 3rd Test.