Flintoff feeling fit

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Flintoff is targeting an England comeback against New Zealand at Lord's after coming through the Pro Arabian Cricket Challenge. Having not played a Test since Australia completed an Ashes whitewash in Sydney last January, there have been positive signs in the early stages of his latest rehabilitation, in which he has bowled nine overs to date.

"I would love to play a Test match at Lord's, but the one thing that I am not going to do is get carried away," Flintoff said, after the 41-run defeat.

"I know that if I want to play for England then I have got to be fit. I won't be able to just walk back into that side.

"I have got to focus all my energies on playing for Lancashire. If I can stay fit and perform then I would hopefully be in the shake-up on May 15."

Flintoff, who underwent a fourth operation on his left ankle last October, followed up his two for nine against Sussex with figures of 4-0-22-1 under the Sheikh Zayed Stadium floodlights.

"The ankle is fine," he declared. "It wasn't too taxing, and I am happy with the way things are - how the ankle is standing up to the rigours of bowling.

"Everybody tells me I am at 70%, but I don't know - I might be at 72. I am certainly not hitting the crease as hard as I would like, but it feels good and easy.

"I was always confident that once I was fit that my bowling would be fine. It is still early days and I am not going to get carried away. Hopefully we will be having this conversation in the middle of June when I have had 200 overs under my belt. At this moment I am happy with it - I just hope it continues in that way."