Lancashire Livid As Flintoff Named in England Players Given Season Off

Lancashire are angry after being told they will have to stave off the threat of relegation in the County Championship without Andrew Flintoff. The all-rounder is one of eight centrally contracted England players who have been made unavailable for the rest of the county season.

As well as Flintoff, Lancashire will be without Jimmy Anderson for their remaining three championship matches and the club's chief executive, Jim Cumbes, said last night: "I'm disappointed. I expected Jimmy to be made unavailable because he's played a full international season but I hoped that Fred, who only came into the England side halfway through the summer, might be allowed to play for us. After the form he's shown in the last few weeks the last thing he wants is seven weeks' rest. When he comes back he will feel that he's starting all over again.

"He loves playing for us and we stuck with him this season when he needed time in the middle. I don't know what input the players have in these decisions. But if the move has been made on medical grounds we have to go along with it."

After the cancellation of the Champions Trophy, which was due to be played in Pakistan this month, the counties had hoped to get their centrally contracted players back but England's coach, Peter Moores, yesterday named who would and would not be available for the run-in.

In announcing those to be rested Moores said: "You have to be slightly selfish about it because you have to look after the players. I hope the counties will be understanding - it's not just physical, it's a mental break as well."

Flintoff and Hampshire's England captain Kevin Pietersen top his list, along with Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook and Ryan Sidebottom. Cook, however, has dispensation to play in Essex's Twenty20 floodlit challenge match against Hampshire on Friday and in their NatWest Pro40 match against Warwickshire on Sunday.

But there is good news for Durham who, like Somerset, are attempting to win the title for the first time. Even though they will be without Collingwood they will be able to select Steve Harmison, their most successful bowler until he was called up by England for the final Test against South Africa and the NatWest Series.

Tim Ambrose, Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Monty Panesar, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Andrew Strauss, Graeme Swann and Luke Wright can also play for their counties.

"It has been a grueling summer and it's important for those players involved in both the Test and ODI squads to be rested ahead of what promises to be a hectic winter," Moores said. "With the postponement of the ICC Champions Trophy an invaluable break has emerged and it is important the players use that interval to refresh themselves.

"Those players involved in both England squads will be given a break from cricket but they will continue a comprehensive conditioning program in preparation for the Stanford Super Series and the ensuing tour of India."

The championship leaders, Nottinghamshire, will have mixed feelings. They will be without Sidebottom, who is injured in any case, and Broad but they will welcome back Patel and Swann. The champions Sussex, who are looking more down than up in sixth place, will value getting back both Prior and Wright.

Moores added: "We recognise that Steve Harmison only featured in one Test match prior to joining England's ODI squad ... he will join Durham for the rest of the first-class season. Alastair Cook has not featured in the NatWest Series and after working hard on his one-day game ... he is available for a NatWest Pro40 this Sunday and a Twenty20 match on Friday."

Who misses what in climax to county season

Kevin Pietersen HampshireMisses three games

Pro40 v Worcestershire (h) Sep 7CC1 v Surrey (a) Sep 9CC1 v Nottinghamshire (a) Sep 24

Andrew Flintoff & James Anderson LancashireMiss five games

Pro40 v Durham (a) Sep 7Pro40 v Nottinghamshire (a) Sep 10Pro40 v Somerset (h) Sep 14CC1 v Kent (h) Sep 17CC1 v Somerset (a) Sep 24

IanBell WarwickshireMisses five games

Pro40 v Essex (h) Sep 7Pro40 v Yorkshire (a) Sep 9Pro40 v Derbyshire (a) Sep 13CC2 v Essex (a) Sep 17CC2 v Glamorgan (h) Sep 24

Stuart Broad & RyanSidebottom (groin injury) NottinghamshireMiss five games

Pro40 v Middlesex (a) Sep7Pro40 v Lancashire (h) Sep10Pro40 v Sussex (h) Sep 14CC1 v Surrey (a) Sep 17CC1 v Hampshire (h) Sep 24

PaulCollingwood DurhamMisses five games

Pro40 v Lancashire (h) Sep 7CC1 v Somerset (a) Sep 9Pro40 v Gloucestershire (h) Sep 14CC1 v Sussex (h) Sep 17CC1 v Kent (a) Sep 24

AlastairCook EssexMissesthreegames

CC2 v Northamptonshire (a) Sep 9Pro40 v Kent (a) Sep 13CC2 v Gloucestershire (a) Sep 24

*Released for a Pro40 fixture on Sep 7 and a Twenty20 match on Sep 5