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Ricky Ponting has taunted England by claiming Andrew Flintoff's knee injury is "going downhill" and cast doubt on the all-rounder's ability to last the pace during the rest of this Ashes series.
England were due to assess Flintoff's fitness this morning before naming their squad for the Fourth npower Test against Australia, which begins at Headingley on Friday.
The drawn Third Test at Edgbaston means England retain their 1-0 lead in the series, with two Tests remaining, and Flintoff is desperate to drag his creaking body through both of them before retiring from five-day cricket after the Ashes finale at The Brit Oval later this month.
Flintoff struck a powerful 74 in England's only innings in Birmingham, but failed to take a wicket in the match - and Aussie captain Ponting reckons he is feeling the strain.
"It was visible during the last couple of days that Flintoff was probably struggling more than he was during the Lord's Test," said Ponting, who watched his team produce a solid batting display yesterday to secure a draw from the rain-affected Test at Edgbaston.
"You could see that he went downhill pretty quickly through the course of this game. His injury is probably starting to take more of an effect than we realise.
"Even when he was batting on Sunday, he was hobbling quite a bit, and bowled only 11 overs in two spells yesterday.
"There was no doubt they were trying to protect him as much as they could during the afternoon, knowing how big a player he is in their team."
Reader views (7)
martyn - ricky ponting is a bad loser as are all sports people unless they turn up only for the money. Hence kp not playing and pedalo saving himself for the ipl. on ya ponting kick those pommies back to their squalid county cricket
- Mark, london uk, 04/08/2009 15:22
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How did England respond when a last minute injury to an Australian took place?
By allowing the Australians to provide a substitute although England could have blocked this. "
but that wouldn't have been cricket, would it ? The Aussies would have done exactly the samefor England
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 04/08/2009 14:26
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Not to worry about the next two tests the POMs have the umpires in the bag, in fact its their 12th man. Some of the worst umpiring seen ever in the 2nd Test. If that had happened to the Indian Team they would have walked off.
- John D, Derby,UK, 04/08/2009 14:18
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If it's true Pouty Ponting should count his lucky stars that Australia aren't 2-0 down...
- Adam, London, 04/08/2009 13:22
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Apart from blowing Ricky's boys away with the ball at Lord's and then putting the Edgbaston game beyond their reach with the bat, Fred really has looked quite ordinary!!
Ponting's feeble attempts at mind games merely serve to show just how rattled these Men from Down Under are!
- John C, Leatherhead, UK, 04/08/2009 12:24
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How did England respond when a last minute injury to an Australian took place?
By allowing the Australians to provide a substitute although England could have blocked this.
The game, and the spirit of the game, is bigger than any individual.
- Manny Goldstein, London, UK, 04/08/2009 11:21
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Ricky Ponting is renowned as a bad loser. This mealy-mouthed stirring is typical. Fred's played a blinder so far and plenty of the Aussie side are, righfully, scared of him. Roll on Headlingley. Let's hope Flintoff can and will make it through the full series. He deserves to
- Martyn Warwick, Chiswick, London, UK, 04/08/2009 10:53
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