CRICKET Ashes hero to lift Morgan’s men Freddie is ready to help England
... and Kevin could still do a job too THE ROCKET ADMITS HE’S GONE TO POT
FREDDIE FLINTOFF is back for England.
Five- and- a- half years after hobbling away from international cricket with a knee injury, the all-rounder has been given the chance to help his former international pals.
The Brisbane Heat overseas T20 star will link up with old team-mates like James Anderson and Stuart Broad for a practice session at the Gabba ahead of England’s next game with India.
And it was Broad who has been the influential organiser in getting Flintoff back in the fold for a day.
Flintoff said: “I think they want me to bowl them back into form!”
The move had to be given the green light by head coach Peter Moores but, after being involved with Flintoff ’s original comeback at Lancashire, that wasn’t a problem.
Flintoff has had a difficult return to the T20 arena as his Big Bash side became the first to be knocked out, but he remains one of the finest one-day cricketers England have ever had.
The knowledge that he will be able to impart on playing in Australia will be hugely valuable RONNIE O’SULLIVAN admitted world No.1 Neil Robertson ruthlessly exposed his flaws after a first Masters semi-final loss.
The reigning champion and fivetime winner was humbled 6-1 at Alexandra Palace in a tournament where he had won all 10 of his previous semi-finals.
But Australian Robertson hit him with a first-frame break of 100 and for a side looking for any sort of a win before the World Cup.
Chris Woakes is one of the bowlers who will benefit from Flintoff’s knowledge.
He is already resembling another former one-day great in the shape of Darren Gough after putting on a yard of pace.
Gough was the master of the yorker and reverse swing that brought him so many of his 235 ODI wickets.
But he also got into trouble at times, namely when the speed guns were put on display at matches and the Yorkshireman wouldn’t stop looking at it, busting a gut to try and get his number higher and higher.
Fast forward 15 years and Woakes has also got an eye on the numbers, but only to confirm the suspicion that he has put on never let him off the hook, despite a consolation 777th career century.
Robertson had been champing at the bit to get another crack at the Rocket after a 6-5 loss in 2013 – and it was worth it.
The 2012 winner will now play for the £200,000 first prize in today’s best-of-19 final.
O’Sullivan said: “I missed a lot of balls, but this has been coming. I haven’t played really well since the
Reliable
a yard of pace in the last year which has helped him become a reliable international cricketer.
“Looking up at the screen yesterday, I was bowling around 140 kph (87 mph),” he said.
“Probably 18 months ago I was only bowling at 134 maximum. I feel like I have put on a yard.
“It was a gradual process. I’ve been working on it for a couple of years now. There were a few technical issues and I also feel now I’m more energetic in my run-up. There has been hard work – it hasn’t happened overnight.
While Woakes, thrives, Gary Ballance’s World Cup dream has moved a little further away after breaking the little finger on his right hand.
He will remain with the squad and is still part of their World Cup plans, but he is unavailable until it heals enough to start playing again in a couple of weeks. ENGLAND reject Kevin Pietersen, never one to underrate his talents, reckons England have only “an outside chance” of winning the World Cup without him.
Pietersen, 34, is the leading run-scorer in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash competition, hitting an unbeaten 67 yesterday as Melbourne Stars beat Sydney Thunder by eight wickets. He added: “I am batting as well as I ever have. I am feeling great and having a really good time out there.” Welsh Open almost a year ago. My better attitude has got me to the world final last season and to the Champion of Champions and UK titles this season, but I have been digging in. No one has really exposed me and Neil has done that.
“I had chances but if you are not taking them he is going to pounce on that and he took me apart.”
Robertson said: “Beating Ronnie here at the Masters on his home patch is special. Making a century in the first frame helped me, and the atmosphere was amazing. That is why I have been disappointed to miss out on a couple of chances to face him recently in big matches.
“It has been 14 months I have waited to play him again in a showcase event. You put people under pressure and they make mistakes, whoever it is.”