Andrew Flintoff ready to roar

The England captain has studied Flintoff's body language in the build-up to the First npower Test and believes the 31-year-old all-rounder is ready to resume his battle with the Aussies.

Man of the series in 2005, Flintoff's preparation for his third Ashes campaign has been interrupted by a knee injury sustained during his stint in the Indian Premier League and he has only recently returned to competitive cricket.

He has also been disciplined for missing the team bus during a recent team-bonding trip to Belgium but Strauss believes Flintoff is ready to make headlines for his cricket during the coming series.

He said: "From the way he bowled against Warwickshire and in the nets, he's very close at the moment. He is hugely motivated to play well and contribute to the team. I think he's going to roar in and make life difficult. When he does that, that's when he plays at his best.

"We'd all like to see him back on the park. He has had a difficult 12 months and a number of injuries which can eat away at your motivation. You start to wonder, Am I ever going to be back
my best'? He has been sitting on the sidelines, watching us do well against the West Indies, and has missed that winning feeling.

"We all know that any good feelings you get from winning a Test match are all amplified by the fact that it is an Ashes Test match and that is going to be plenty of motivation for him."

Assuming England decide to pick both spinners, there will be seven players taking the field at the SWALEC Stadium today who were part of the squad humiliated by a 5-0 Ashes whitewash two years ago. It will be a source of major motivation for Flintoff, who captained England on that tour, and other members of the 2006-7 squad.

Strauss said: "It hurt losing that series. I remember after the Adelaide Test in particular how much that hurt. In an Ashes series you don't struggle for motivation in any way but if that gives us a little bit more, that's a very good thing."