Freddie under the microscope

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England's selectors named Flintoff in a squad of 13 for the third npower Ashes Test against Australia, alongside Kevin Pietersen's replacement Ian Bell. They also delivered an upbeat bulletin on his current condition, but know only too well they must oversee day-to-day monitoring of a troublesome knee injury.

"We'll monitor him and see how we go," national selector Geoff Miller confirmed to BBC Radio 5 Live.

On England's side in their battle to keep their most lethal weapon fit, as they bid to regain the Ashes from the advantageous position of being 1-0 up with three to play, is Flintoff's big heart and still bigger motivation to go out on an all-time high.

Miller added: "Obviously he's got the problem - that's why he made his decision about Test cricket. But I'm sure it'll take wild dogs to keep him off the Test arena for these three matches."

Flintoff's knee needed surgery after a short and controversial stint at the Indian Premier League, and it has since been reported Pietersen, too, aggravated his Achilles problem taking part in the lucrative Twenty20 franchise tournament.

Miller acknowledges there is a need to ensure IPL contracts do not have a detrimental effect on the fitness of centrally-contracted players - but he appears wary, too, of allowing unwanted diversions to intrude on England's so far successful Ashes campaign.

"It wasn't just the IPL which created this injury (to Pietersen) - and it certainly wasn't on Fred as well," Miller insisted.

"That could have happened at any time. It was coincidental."