Flintoff plays it safe

Andrew Flintoff works on his batting as England's preparations for the fourth Ashes Test get under way

Andrew Flintoff opted not to bowl during England’s first net session for the penultimate Ashes Test - on the day Graham Onions labelled him a "legend".

The all-rounder batted in the middle at Headingley Carnegie, where the fourth match of the npower series against Australia begins on Friday, but did not bowl as a precautionary measure.

The 31-year-old has been icing his injured right knee since the Edgbaston draw on Monday evening, which left England 1-0 up with two games to play.

England’s think-tank will want to give him every chance to retain his place in the team and are likely to put off any decision until the morning of the match.

Flintoff has so far defied the pain to turn in a man-of-the-match display with the ball at Lord’s and returned to form with the bat with 74 in England’s only innings in Birmingham.

Fast bowler Graham Onions said: “Everyone knows that Andrew Flintoff is a legend who is a great person to have in our team. I think we are a stronger team with him but that is only if he is 100% fit.

“Andrew’s going to be very honest. It is a shame that his body is in a little bit of discomfort at the moment but I am sure he will do everything he possibly can to be fit.”

Flintoff, the hero of England’s 2005 Ashes triumph, has been fronting a new-look attack including James Anderson and Durham’s Onions, who was called into the team ahead of county colleague Steve Harmison.

“In the last Test match on the last morning he got the bowlers together and gave us a massive amount of confidence that we could win the game,” said Onions. “He gave us a few reminders of the different plans we needed to bowl at different batters.

“That’s Andrew Flintoff: he will give everything to the team; he will do anything he possibly can for England to win back the Ashes.

“We were all very excited and he just said ‘hold your nerve’ and that as long as we keep believing in tough times we will come out on top.”

Onions threw the third Test at Edgbaston wide open by taking two wickets with the first two balls of the second morning, a double strike that sent Australia spiralling from 126 for one to 263 all out.

Graham Onions, playing only his fourth Test, claims the first of two wickets in two balls on the second day at Edgbaston

The 26-year-old went on to claim four of the nine wickets shared that day with fellow paceman Anderson.

“That was very, very special for me,” said Onions. “To get two wickets in two balls was great, but to have the captain throw me the ball in the first place was a real boost for me and a pat on the back. It basically said ‘as a team, we back you’ and then to get the wickets was a dream.

“One of the first things (captain) Andrew Strauss said to me when I came into the side was, ‘You’re under no pressure at all, just go out there and enjoy yourself.’ He hasn’t said that since mind!

“But I’m having a great time in my career and I don’t feel under too much pressure. I’m playing in an Ashes series against the best team in the world and I think I need to keep reminding myself of that.”

Onions has been on the fringes of selection for the past few years and rushed to the front of the queue after a stunning start to this domestic campaign. He has bridged the gap to the top level with 18 wickets in only four Test appearances this summer.

“I think they use better bats because when they hit the ball it goes for four more often,” said Onions, of the difference in class. “I think the wickets are better and I think generally people can play 90mph-plus easier.

“I’m not saying they find it easy, just easier, so it is a tougher standard and it is something I’ve wanted to have a taste of for a long time.

“I’d like to think I’ve improved a bit over the few Tests I’ve played and if I was to go back to county cricket then I’d notice a difference.”

His new status as an international player has also raised his overall profile to such an extent pop star Lily Allen was tweeting about his looks on her Twitter page.

So does he see himself as something of a sex symbol?

“Definitely not, no,” said Onions. “She has obviously not seen me in real life. I think Lily Allen is a great singer - it would be a pleasure to meet her. But I’ve got a girlfriend and I’m happy with her.”