Moores Throws a Smoke Screen Over Final Selection

Everybody assumes that Andrew Flintoff will return for England at Headingley. It is inconceivable that England would name him in the 12 for the second Test and then leave him out. Only a fool would assume otherwise. So what is Peter Moores playing at?

While anticipation grows over Flintoff's return, England are playing down expectations. Firstly England's captain, Michael Vaughan, insisted that he was "not a wizard" and yesterday the coach stepped up the ante, dampening assumptions that Flintoff would play.

"It seems the right time to bring Fred back into the squad and see where we are," Moores said. "We have had the same side for six Tests - a world record - and we have played really good cricket. It is a good team and it is playing well, so we have to look at the conditions.

"We are in a very good position knowing that we have Freddie coming back from a long-term injury to add strength to the squad. If he gets an opportunity to walk out on to the pitch he is going to be very excited. He has a passion to play, he has got back into the squad but it is going to be a very tough decision to decide which side we go in with because everybody in that team at the moment has played very good cricket for three or four months.

"It is nice to have his ankle sorted. When I first came in Fred was in the squad and that ankle was niggling away all the time. He is in good spirits. He has been out a long time and he is keen to be involved. We take it stage by stage for Fred. Everybody thinks he has got lots of great days ahead of him and this is another step closer to that."

There are several reasons for Moores' caution - none of which encourages the belief that Flintoff will miss out on his chance to play his first Test for 17 months.

There is the fear of further injury; should he develop a minor niggle between now and Friday morning, then England will be able to say that they recognised the possibility all along and were merely integrating him back into the squad for a future date as yet unknown.

There is the loyalty to a side that has acquitted itself well during those record six Tests, albeit only against a weakened New Zealand, and which after managing only three wickets in more than two days in failing to bowl out a far more powerful South Africa will be feeling a little delicate.

And then there is the psychology of Flintoff's return. England want him to return as one player among 11, both to relieve him of unfair pressure and to guard against any cult of personality that could disrupt the dressing-room dynamic. Flintoff will play but for the moment at least he will play as a normal human being.

Flintoff's life under the knife

January 2000 Foot

Sent home early from tour of South Africa after breaking a foot while bowling in fourth Test at Cape Town

Tests missed One

England return v Pakistan (ODI), Sharjah, April 2000

October 2000 Back

Succumbs to niggling injury during one-day series in Pakistan and returns home for an operation. Dropped from the Test squad in 2001 before remodelling his action and regaining fitness

Tests missed 13

England return v Sri Lanka (ODI), Dambulla, March 2001

August 2002 Hernia operation

Struggles with injury all summer and has surgery after third Test against India at Headingley. Persistent groin injury rules him out of the Ashes

Tests missed 6

England return v Australia (ODI), Melbourne, January 2003

May 2003 Shoulder

Forced out of the two-Test home series against Zimbabwe

Tests missed 2

England return v Pakistan (ODI), Old Trafford, June 2003

October 2003 Groin

Still suffering groin pain, he sits out two Tests in Bangladesh but makes stunning return in one-day series

Tests missed 2

England return v Bangladesh (ODI), Chittagong, November 2003

July 2004 Achilles tendon

Initially ruled out of NatWest Series he is called up as a specialist batsman after England's dreadful start

Tests missed

England return v West Indies (ODI), Headingley, July 2004

January 2005 Ankle No1

Leaves tour of South Africa after the Test series to have surgery to remove bone spurs in his left ankle

Tests missed

England return v Bangladesh, Lord's, May 2005

June 2006 Ankle No2

Has bone fragments and scar tissue removed after playing in Test series against Sri Lanka at home

Tests missed 4

England return v India (ODI), Jaipur, October 2006

June 2007 Ankle No3

Misses the first two Tests against West Indies before undergoing exploratory keyhole surgery

Tests missed 7

England return v India (ODI),

Southampton, August 2007

October 2007 Ankle No4

After struggling through one-day series against India and World Twenty20, it's back under the knife before a long rehabilitation

Tests missed 10

England return selected in squad for second Test against South Africa, Headingley, starting tomorrow