Collingwood looks forward to return of all-rounder Flintoff
Andrew Flintoff closing in on return to full England team
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Monday, 18, Feb 2008 04:30
England one-day captain Paul Collingwood says he is looking forward to the long-awaited return of star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.
Collingwood, who leads his side out for the fourth ODI against New Zealand tomorrow knowing only a win will keep them in a series in which they trail 2-1, has been forced to do without the talented Lancastrian since last year.
A fourth ankle operation to correct an ongoing problem is expected to have cleared up Flintoff's struggles with fitness.
However, Collingwood revealed the team want to be sure of his ability to deal with the rigours of cricket before throwing him back into the action and will still treat him with kid gloves regarding selection.
"We hope he can come back and be 100 per cent fit," said Collingwood.
"It was a shame last year that he came back and still felt a niggle.
"It's horrible for a guy to go through an injury like that, have the operation and go through all the rehab and still feel the injury."
Collingwood has rarely been able to utilise the full talents of Flintoff, who was ruled out of the one-day series against West Indies last year.
Despite a brief comeback attempt he appeared short of his peak fitness and form during the series against India and the World Twenty20 in South Africa.
And the skipper appeared to speak for the team when he said: "We all know what he can do on the park and we all want him back."
Collingwood added: "But we want to make sure he's ready and raring to go and feeling no pain.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed that he's going to be like that."