Andrew FlintofF will resist any bid to protect him from England's busy schedule over the coming months to ensure he is fit for the Ashes.

Before the First Test against Australia on 8 July, the all-rounder faces the rest of the current one-day series in the Caribbean, a fortnight playing in the Indian Premier League in South Africa, the home Test and one-day series against West Indies and the Twenty20 World Cup.

It is a heavy schedule for anyone, never mind a player who has had four ankle operations and has only just overcome a hip problem.

"My last injury was a muscle tear which is something which just heals," said Flintoff. "There was never any worry about the long-term effects or the prospect of an operation, it was just something that was going to heal. My body is fine, but there is a concern that when I come back from not playing is when I'm at my most vulnerable."

Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen will both be £150,000 out of pocket as result of them only being able to play in the first two, rather than three, weeks of the IPL. It follows yesterday's decision to stage the tournament in South Africa a week later than anticipated.