Friday, March 30, 2007

Flintoff fit for Irish challenge

World Cup Super 8, Guyana: England v Ireland
Match starts 1430 BST Friday

Andrew Flintoff
England will be pleased to have Andrew Flintoff available

Key all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has been passed fit to take his place in England's line-up for Friday's World Cup Super 8 match against Ireland.

The 29-year-old has overcome a stomach virus that affected his preparations.

"Freddie is fine," captain Michael Vaughan said on Thursday. "He played a full part in practice, so he's fit and firing going into tomorrow's game."

Ireland, meanwhile, should be boosted by the return of captain Trent Johnston following a shoulder injury.

Vaughan watched Wednesday's match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at new Providence Stadium, noting conditions similar to the sub-continent.

He said the option to bring back spin all-rounder Jamie Dalrymple, who has struggled with bat and ball this winter, would be considered.

That would mean Ravi Bopara once again returning to drinks duties.

"It's definitely something we'll talk about," said Vaughan.

I certainly believe we have enough good players to go out and beat England
Ireland's Eoin Morgan

"With this kind of wicket and the size of the outfield, whether we need that second spinner to come into the side is something we'll talk about."

Ireland have already knocked Pakistan out of the World Cup and England know they need to improve on the form they showed in beating Canada and Kenya.

And they are determined to prove their progress to the Super 8 phase of the tournament was no fluke.

Left-handed batsman Eoin Morgan, a Middlesex professional, said: "Coming into the competition we recognised the talent we had in the side and we knew we had the ability to cause a major upset.

"We did that against Pakistan and the confidence that gave us is huge.

"I certainly believe we have enough good players to go out and beat England."

Dave Langford-Smith celebrates a wicket
Ireland's Dave Langford-Smith has a vital job with the new ball

Ireland were certainly not disgraced when the two sides met in Belfast last summer, replying to England's total of 301-7 with 263-9 in a 38-run defeat.

Making his debut against the country of his birth that day was England's opener Ed Joyce.

The left-handed batsman is now able to supply England with some inside information about their opposition.

He said: "Ireland play as a unit very well. They field very well, they bowl as a unit - they've got a lot of medium-pacers and spinners who bowl very straight - and they bat way down to number 10."

Joyce believes England must impose themselves on the game early - if they bat first they need a positive start, but must keep wickets in hand.

"Myself, Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell are not massive hitters, so it's a case of using what we've got in the side to do well.

"We have to get the team off to a good start. We want KP [Kevin Pietersen] and Fred [Flintoff] coming in when the shine is off the ball and they can show what they can do."

I haven't scored enough hundreds. If I get to 70, I should be getting to 100"
Kevin Pietersen

The return of Johnston undoubtedly strengthens an Irish bowling attack, which also includes off-spinner Kyle McCallan, who has been taking advice from West Indies Test great Lance Gibbs.

"The way he grips the ball is completely alien to the way I grip it. He talked about gripping it hard, spinning it hard. I try to give it a rip but not the way he did," said McCallan.

England will start as favourites, and Pietersen's recent elevation to the top of the world one-day batting rankings has only served to provide him with a further spur.

"There are a lot more important things than rankings, like winning the World Cup and to be winning games with this team," he said.

"I haven't scored enough hundreds. I have scored three international one-day centuries and they came in my first 10 matches. It's a mental thing for me. If I get to 70, I should be getting to 100."


England (from): M Vaughan (capt), J Anderson, I Bell, R Bopara, P Collingwood, J Dalrymple, A Flintoff, E Joyce, J Lewis, S Mahmood, P Nixon, M Panesar, K Pietersen, L Plunkett, A Strauss.

Ireland (from): T Johnston (capt), A Botha, J Bray, K Carroll, P Gillespie, D Langford-Smith, K McCallan, J Mooney, P Mooney, E Morgan, K O'Brien, N O'Brien, W Porterfield, B Rankin, A White.

Umpires: Simon Taufel (Aus) and Billy Doctrove (WI)

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