Flintoff throws support behind KP

4 August 2008

Andrew Flintoff called on captain Kevin Pietersen not to change the way he plays

Andrew Flintoff is confident Kevin Pietersen's massive contribution with the bat in Test and one-day cricket will be unaffected by becoming the new England captain.

Pietersen, who has replaced Michael Vaughan after his tearful resignation on Sunday, averages more than 50 in both the five-day and limited-overs versions of the game.

Vaughan's contribution after replacing Nasser Hussain in 2003 dropped off significantly compared to his sparkling form prior to taking over the reins, although he still at times produced vital innings.

But Flintoff is backing Pietersen to thrive in his new role as England look to regain some pride after the series setback against South Africa, starting with the fourth npower Test at the Brit Oval which starts on Thursday.

The all-rounder said: "The one thing we don't want is for Kevin to change. He averages 50-plus in Test and one-day cricket and he is an unbelievable talent.

"Everyone will ask 'will his batting be affected?' But knowing Kevin, he will probably average 70 as captain.

"You know what he is like. As soon as he is put under the pump, and people start saying things about him, he comes back and gets a big score. I would imagine he will do that this time.

"The first innings against South Africa in the first Test at Lord's earlier this summer was the one for me. A lot was said going into that series and the finger has been pointed at him by a lot of people.

"He is a bit nervous at first but gets his head down and blazes a hundred. That is a measure of the man.

“When you see things like that, I am sure he will take to captaincy in the same way, he will take it in his stride."

Flintoff, who led England for 11 Tests, believes it is important that Pietersen's family life is not affected by the captaincy - an issue alluded to by Vaughan when he announced he was quitting.

A relaxed Pietersen settles into his new role following today's announcement at Lord's

"It is a tough job,” Flintoff added. “It is not just about being on the field, moving the field about and changing the bowlers around.

"The thing is trying to leave it on the cricket field. There is a lot off the field as well and I took it home with me from time to time. That is what I found a bit hard about the job.

"Michael said it affected him at home and he took the work home – it is hard not to. It is a hard job, but it can be very rewarding as well if you get the results.

"You also need help from the rest of the side. You also need a few people to lean on. When I was doing the captaincy, I took too much on myself and didn't have too many sounding boards or people to speak to about the job.

"Kevin will be fine. He is confident, single-minded and will have a definite approach to how he is going to do it. The team have got to perform as well and there is no reason why we can't all be successful together."

Flintoff was quick to pay tribute to Vaughan and believes he will be challenging for an England spot purely as a batsman in the future.

He said: "If you see when Michael took over, it was in similar circumstances to Kevin now against South Africa.

“Michael quickly stamped his authority on things and the overriding thing was he wanted people to express themselves and enjoy playing cricket.

"That is how the England side played through his reign and we were successful. Michael helped me as a cricketer and tried to take away the fear of failure and let the players go out there and play.

"It is inevitable, I suppose, when a captain resigns or goes it is under poor circumstances. I think Vaughany deserved more than the circumstances he is going in now.

"It would have been nice to go after a series win or go out on a high which I think he definitely deserves and I just hope we haven't seen the last of him.

"He is a fine batsman, and has shown that on numerous occasions, and I know he will be fighting to play for England again."