Aussies 'running scared' of Freddie
Flintoff was a major tormentor during the last Ashes series
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Monday, 14, Aug 2006 10:05
Australian opener Justin Langer has admitted the team is hoping that Andrew Flintoff loses his battle to be fit for this winter's Ashes.
The England all-rounder, who has been earmarked for the captaincy Down Under after Michael Vaughan was ruled out with a knee injury, is hopeful of returning to cricket a month before the opening Test in Brisbane, starting on November 23rd, after surgery on an ankle injury.
However, his place on the Ashes plane is far from secure and Langer has admitted the Baggy Greens would rather not face the Lancastrian when the urn is up for grabs later this year.
"The captain (Vaughan) is just one man out of the squad and no-one's irreplaceable," Langer told The Wisden Cricketer.
"Having said that, the biggest loss for England is Andrew Flintoff. We wouldn't complain if he wasn't fit for the Ashes."
Flintoff was one of Australia's chief tormentors in last summer's Ashes series, taking 24 wickets at an average of 27.29 and scoring 402 runs with the bat.
If Flintoff is absence, Steve Harmison will find himself under more pressure to deliver with the ball.
The Durham fast bowler, who took 11 wickets in the second Test against Pakistan, has been finding his rhythm once again after a spell on the sidelines with a shin problem.
He has pointed to consistency as a key factor behind England's success over the past couple of years and wants to see that carried over into the Ashes series.
"I think the one thing that we try and have is continuity as we kept the same 12 players through the whole summer last year and won the Ashes so I don't see why we should change," Harmison told Sky Sports.
"I think, unless somebody's out of form or has an injury, you go with what's been working for you and what's been working for us is the lads that have been performing very well."
Harmison has taken 16 wickets so far in the Pakistan series at an average of 26.06.