Cricket: Flintoff Told to Focus As Strauss is Made Captain

Andrew Flintoff must face up to the reality today that his England captaincy days are almost certainly over after the confirmation of Andrew Strauss as Michael Vaughan's stand-in for the first Test of the summer, against West Indies at Lord's.

Strauss's appointment was no earth-shattering surprise. Flintoff was stripped of the vice-captaincy after some drunken shenanigans on a pedalo during the World Cup and, even though Duncan Fletcher, the coach who had finally lost patience, has since departed, forgiveness was never going to come so quickly.

Nevertheless the first Test squad chosen since Peter Moores' appointment as England coach has an air of finality about it as far as Flintoff's captaincy is concerned. The pedalo incident was the catalyst for Flintoff's removal but it gave England, not just Fletcher, justification for a course of action they had been pondering.

The conviction last summer that Flintoff had the personality to become an inspirational England leader has given way to the belief that it sapped his strength and left the dressing room anxious for a calmer, more "managed" atmosphere. Strauss can be relied on to provide just that.

David Graveney, the chairman of selectors and previously an enthusiast for a Flintoff-led England, yesterday voiced the arguments that he has confidently rejected for much of the past year. "I have spoken to both Andrew Flintoff and Andrew Strauss about the captaincy position," he said. "Our view is that the team's best interests will be served if Strauss leads the team as this will allow Flintoff to concentrate on his batting and bowling."

Vaughan's reluctant acceptance that his broken finger will not heal in time to face West Indies on Thursday has spared England from a confused build-up to Lord's and is to be commended. He has had a frustrating year, missing the Ashes series with knee trouble, having his World Cup disrupted by a hamstring strain and then having his finger broken while batting for Yorkshire against Hampshire. Vaughan's rehabilitation will continue with England at Lord's. Moores wants Vaughan not only to recover for the second Test at Headingley next week but also to have an injury-free summer that proves his international career is not virtually spent.

For Flintoff, the challenge is to return to the ranks with gusto. He looked shattered at the end of an unrewarding World Cup, bowling with reduced hostility and batting as if it was something he had once learned but had almost forgotten. There has been no time to re-energise but a few weeks at home and some county cricket seems to have made him of cheerier disposition.

If Flintoff's experience as England captain - an Ashes whitewash, only two half-centuries and a failure to take five wickets in a match - still galls him, then Ian Botham, an occasional drinking companion, is proof things can soon get better. Botham did not win any of his 12 Tests in charge in 1980 and 1981 but his resignation as captain was followed by his swashbuckling role in the 1981 Ashes victory.

Flintoff looks certain start the West Indies series at No6 but England's award of a Test debut to the Sussex wicketkeeper Matt Prior, more highly regarded by Moores than he was by Fletcher, gives them the option of dropping the all-rounder down a place later in the summer if he fails to rediscovers his batting form.

"Matt averages nearly 40 with the bat in first-class cricket and this was an important factor in reaching our decision," Graveney said. "He performed well for England A in the winter and has experienced the international environment before in one-day internationals."

Owais Shah, another player not favoured by Fletcher, wins his place in England's 12 but Graveney confirmed he was included primarily as stand-by for Kevin Pietersen, who has a minor calf strain.

The pace attack is bolstered by the return of Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison, and Liam Plunkett, who can be expected to swing the ball at Lord's, is preferred to the Lancashire duo Sajid Mahmood and Jimmy Anderson, though the latter is on stand-by. "They need overs in the memory bank and the best way to achieve that is in county cricket," said Graveney. Fletcher used to insist young pacemen were better off in England's nets than in county cricket. The overturning of that policy is something to celebrate.

New coach, same old faces . . . mostly

England's squad for the opening npower Test against West Indies at Lord's, starting on Thursday

Player County Age Tests Batting ave Bowling ave


AJ Strauss, capt Middlesex 30 36 43.09 -

AN Cook Essex 22 14 43.20 -

IR
Bell Warwickshire 25 23 43.72 76.00

KP Pietersen Hampshire 26 23 49.69 201.00

PD Collingwood Durham 30 20 42.94 265.00

A Flintoff Lancashire 29 66 32.50 32.02

OA Shah Middlesex 28 1 63.00 -

MJ Prior, wkt Sussex 25 0 - -

MJ Hoggard Yorkshire 30 62 7.52 30.18

SJ Harmison Durham 28 50 11.11 30.53

LE Plunkett Durham 22 6 8.62 37.56

MS Panesar Northamptonshire 25 13 8.60 33.71