England Cricket / Editor / 01 June 2007 /

England may be able to call on the services of all-rounder Andrew Flintoff sooner than
expected after positive news on his troublesome ankle.

The 29-year-old went under the knife for the third time in two years on Friday, after ongoing soreness in his left ankle kept him out of the first two Tests of the summer against the West Indies.

England hardly missed their former captain, hammering the tourists by an innings-and-283-runs at Headingley in the second Test, and trade as the 1.06 favourites to win the series and at 1.66 to win the third Test at Old Trafford.

But they will be keen to have 'Freddie' back for later in the summer when the Indians arrive for a three-Test series with Michael Vaughan's men, and the ECB issued a positive statement on Flintoff's latest encounter with the surgeon.

It read: "Early signs are that the operation was routine and Andrew will begin his rehabilitation accordingly following successful removal of tissue contributing to anterior impingement in the ankle.

"Andrew will require a programme of strengthening and proprioceptive work before he can start to return to training and bowling.

"It is anticipated that he will aim to return to playing cricket before the end of the summer."

India are expected to provide much stiffer opposition than the West Indians, whose attack has been likened to a county side at best, and can be backed at 3.6 to win the series in the second half of the summer, with the hosts on offer at 1.8 and a drawn series available at 3.55.

The men from the Caribbean have struggled to take wickets in the current series and Corey Collymore is the highest wicket-taker with just six. The medium-pacer trades as the 2.8 favourite to be the Windies' top wicket-taker in the series, with Daren Powell (four scalps to date) on offer at 3.2.

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