Flintoff should be fit for Test, says Pollock

MELBOURNE—England all rounder Andrew Flintoff should be fit to play for the World XI in their Test match against Australia starting on Friday despite bruising his wrist in Sunday’s 156-run defeat in the final one-day match.
Flintoff, who was sent to hospital for an X-ray on his right wrist after he dropped a sharp caught and bowled chance from Ricky Ponting, was cleared of any serious injury and batted in the World XI’s innings.
Australia made 293 for five before they bowled the World XI out for a paltry 137 to complete a 3-0 series sweep in the final one-day match at Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium.
“Nothing is broken or cracked, it’s just bad bruising,” World XI captain Shaun Pollock told a news conference. “He is very sore and he had ice and an arm wrap on before he went out to bat and then after so I’m sure he’ll be fine”.
“He is one hell of a vital player and once you realise that it’s not broken then you just have to get through the pain barrier and get out there and perform”.
“The longer you can wait and allow the bandage to bring the swelling down the better ... (and) he has a couple of days to recover so he should be all right”.
Flintoff, 27, received treatment on the field for several minutes before being taken to an inner-city Melbourne hospital for checks.
He came out to bat with the World XI in desperate trouble at 27 for four and facing a hat-trick delivery after Brett Lee had dismissed Jacques Kallis (two) and Brian Lara (nought) with successive deliveries.
He successfully defended the delivery before combining with Virender Sehwag in a 60-run partnership. He was eventually bowled by Shane Watson for 21.
Ashes man-of-the-series Flintoff is also in England’s squad for their tour of Pakistan starting later this month.—Agencies