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The England Cricket Question: Is Freddie ready or will he misfire?

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He's been performing heroics at County level, so is it time Flintoff returned to the national team asks Ed Hawkins

Two weeks ago on this website, Andrew Flintoff spoke about how he had recovered fully from a fourth ankle operation and that he would be bowling at full pelt for Lancashire in county cricket in a bid to win back his England Test place.

In the gap between then and now, Flintoff has kept his promise. He peppered Somerset captain Justin Langer to the extent he was labelled "the best fast bowler in the world" and Michael Vaughan was obviously listening.

The England leader has said that he would like to include Flintoff in England's team to play New Zealand in the first Test of the summer, which begins at Lord's on May 15.

However, there is a caveat. It would be as a fourth bowler, batting at No 7 which puts Flintoff's all-rounder status in doubt.

The risk aside of expecting a man who has been injured since the New Year Test in Syndey 2007 to share the overs workload of three others, another pertinent query of those considering backing England at [1.81] to beat New Zealand, who are [6.8] and the draw [3.3], is this: would Flintoff be worth his place as a bowler only?

It has been clear for some time - or at least whenever a spinner has a ball in his hands - that Flintoff's batting has been overrated and he can no longer expect to play for his country with only willow work as a skill set.

So if he does line up for England at Headquarters, it could be make or break for the 30-year-old, who is no stranger to ultimatums. If he does not perform or, god forbid, break down again, then he could be jettisoned in the same way that Matthew Hoggard was omitted.

And before you raise a quarrel along the lines of 'you've got to give Freddie a chance!', why should he? Hoggard was dropped only two Tests after blitzing Sri Lanka in Galle. The scorecard is here

It was 2001 when Flintoff's career was last at a crossroads. He had been warned by his management to lose weight and live a more professional lifestyle after performing poorly for England.

Thankfully, he bucked up, asked to attend Rod Marsh's ECB Academy and responded to England's SOS for him to join them on the tour of India. There he marked himself out as a bowler of worth. And it is this point from which we can ask ourself the important question above.

By noting what England conceded on first innings in each of the matches (not including meetings with Zimbabwe or Bangladesh) that Flintoff played in after that call-up and the ones that he did not, we can work out how important he is as a bowler.

The answer may come as a surprise. Not because he is not as valuable as some may have thought but for the reason that he is probably more important than most realise.

With Flintoff in their ranks over the study period (which tallies 57 matches) England conceded on average in first innings a miserly 260. Without him, admittedly over a shorter 23 Tests, they haemorrhaged nearly 140 runs more with 393 the average opposition total.

What is equally surprising is that margin has not resulted in more England victories. Without Flintoff England's win percentage stands at 39, just four per cent less than when he is the side.

It is only be a small difference but given New Zealand are without Stephen Fleming and, more importantly, short of confidence, it should not be big enough to prevent Flintoff from establishing himself in his new role.

Is Freddie ready or will he misfire?

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