Chapple tells of lay-off frustration

Glen Chapple has not played since the Friends Provident Trophy Roses game in May

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Lancashire seamer Glen Chapple says both he and team-mate Andrew Flintoff have endured a frustrating spell on the sidelines.

Chapple returned to action after a recent thigh problem in Lancashire’s second XI encounter with Durham at Alderley Edge, while Flintoff is back after suffering a side strain.

Both men have been out of action since the beginning of May and while Chapple did manage to take a wicket during his four-over spell, the focus will be on Flintoff when Lancashire resume their first innings, weather permitting, this morning.

As a longstanding friend, Chapple knows Flintoff better than most and has seen his latest fight for fitness at close hand, and he shares the same determination to get back into action as quickly as possible.

“We are both pretty fed up at not being fit,” he said.

“As sportsmen, we want to get out there and get on with it.

“I have trained a lot with Freddie over the last few weeks. We have been helping each other along.

“It always helps when there are a couple of you in the same position and hopefully it shows over the next few weeks.

“We both have targets and we both feel we are moving in the right direction.

“The main thing is to have no further setbacks and hopefully stay fit.”

Locals, who turned out in larger-than-usual numbers to see Flintoff in action will hope forecasters’ predictions of a wet day prove to be wide of the mark as the all-rounder looks to make his first runs since May 2 after recovering from a side strain.

Three ducks on the trot, two of which came in the LV County Championship against Durham when Flintoff suffered the latest in a long series of injuries in the last two years, provide the backdrop to the all-rounder’s innings today.

As he is seemingly restricted to a batting brief only, Flintoff will be determined to make his mark and ensure his fitness for another second-team game at Liverpool, followed by a first XI fixture with Sussex at Hove, and then, possibly, a return to the international stage.