Vaughan plays down Flintoff return

Michael Vaughan does not want to put pressure on all-rounder Andrew Flintoff

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Captain Michael Vaughan has attempted to temper the level of expectation surrounding Andrew Flintoff’s return after he was named in an England Test squad for the first time in 18 months.

The long-awaited comeback by the 30-year-old Lancashire all-rounder was confirmed after he was included in England’s 12-man squad for the second npower Test at Headingley Carnegie later this week as a replacement for Hampshire’s Chris Tremlett.

It is the first time Flintoff has been named in a Test squad since he made the last of his 66 appearances against Australia at Sydney in January 2007 and follows a battle against a series of injuries.

But as England prepare to welcome back Flintoff, who trained with the squad for a day in the build-up to this week’s drawn first Test against South Africa at Lord’s, captain Vaughan has attempted to cool the excitement surrounding his comeback.

“I think we’re building him up a bit too much, which is a bit unfair on him,” stressed Vaughan.

“He has had 18 months out of the game; he’s come back for Lancashire and done reasonably well. But he’s not a wizard - he’s not going to come and sprinkle dust; he’s just going to come and perform how he can.

“I don’t want to put him under any more pressure. He just needs to come and bowl like he does and, we hope, whack it like he does - and try to get his level of performance to what it was before, but it might take him a little bit of time to adjust.”

Since last featuring for England in last September’s ICC World Twenty20 tournament in South Africa, Flintoff has undergone two operations on his troublesome left ankle and, just as he was about to be recalled for the start of this summer’s npower Test series against New Zealand, suffered a side strain.

That injury sidelined him for another six weeks, but he has since played two LV County Championship matches against Sussex and Hampshire, helping Lancashire complete successive victories.

He bowled with pace and hostility before hitting an unbeaten 39 off 23 balls to seal a six-wicket victory.

That performance clearly persuaded England’s selectors Flintoff was ready to return and Vaughan admitted even he was excited about having him back in the dressing room.

Flintoff goes aerial during his innings of 39 which helped Lancashire to victory over Hampshire

“He has that bit of X-factor about him,” said Vaughan.

“You know when you give him the ball that he can create something.

“In the past when he has gone out to bat, he has made things happen - and he has the ability to take wonderful catches. As a captain, it’s always nice to have that kind of player in and around the team.

“His stature in the dressing room is also important, and I’m sure opposition teams around the world would rather play England without ‘Freddie’ Flintoff - I’m delighted to have him back in the squad.”

Having toiled for two days to dismiss South Africa and clinch victory at Lord’s, Flintoff is likely to be included in the starting XI.

But Vaughan admitted the decision about who to leave out to accommodate Flintoff will be tough.

“That’s the question I’m going to get asked all week,” said Vaughan.

“Headingley is a funny ground, because you have to get the conditions right. You have to read them well and read the pitch well.

“I always had it in the back of my mind to get ‘Freddie’ back into the team, he just needed another game to prove to himself that his body was right.

“He’s got through a good game at Hampshire, bowled a lot of overs - and he’s got a few runs today. He’s ready to come back.”