Lancs star’s innings-building form making return

Jul 16 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

LANCASHIRE manager Mike Watkinson believes that Andrew Flintoff is adding a re-discovered ability to construct an innings to his natural talent for hitting the cricket ball very hard as the England all-rounder completes the latest stage of his return to form and international match fitness.

Speaking after Flintoff’s 23-ball 39 had taken Lancashire to their second successive LV County Championship victory at Southampton on Monday, Watkinson explained that he was not surprised that Flintoff’s full batting powers had taken longer to return than his bowling ability.

“Andrew’s got the form, it’s just a question of getting his tempo back and being able to construct a score in different circumstances,” he said. “When you’re out of cricket for a period of months, you lose that. Bowling can come back more readily but with batting there’s no second chances and there’s the strategy of building an innings and the associated nerves – that’s coming back nicely for him.”

Flintoff’s Test recall means that Lancashire will be deprived of one of their key bowlers in an attack which Watkinson believed was able to cope with any conditions. But the Old Trafford manager still has some distinctly in-form bowlers at his disposal, none more so than Glen Chapple whose 13 wickets have helped the county rise to second place in the Division One table.

“It just shows how valuable Glen is,” he said. “We missed him at the start of the season. He’s a skilful and clever bowler who has good plans for opposition batsmen. He swings the new ball but he can come back later and he’s always a threat.”

Lancashire’s next game, at home to Gloucestershire tomorrow, launches their Pro40 league campaign but Stuart Law’s side next championship commitment is at home to Hampshire in a Division One match, also at Old Trafford, next Tuesday.

“The way we’re working in the field, with disciplined planning and the bowlers putting the ball in the right places, puts a lot of pressure on the opposition,” he said.