Second Ashes Test, Lord’s: England v Australia
Date: 16-20 July
Coverage: Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave, Red Button and BBC Sport website, plus live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles. Live on Sky Sports
**England captain Andrew Strauss believes Andrew Flintoff will play in the second Test at Lord’s starting on Thursday.**Flintoff, who is to retire from Tests after the Ashes, has knee trouble after last week’s drawn Test at Cardiff.
Asked whether Flintoff would be fit Strauss said: “The indications are that he will be. We’re hopeful.”
Kevin Pietersen has overcome Achilles problems, while Australia are again without the injured Brett Lee and will delay naming their side until the toss.
Pietersen had an injection in his back before the Cardiff Test and has had another jab in his troublesome Achilles.
England called in Ian Bell as cover but are convinced Pietersen will be fit so have released the Warwickshire batsman.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting admitted Lee had not been in contention for Lord’s. “Brett didn’t train with us and that means he won’t be available for selection,” he said.
Lee will step up his rehabilitation from a sore left side in the next few days and could return to the side for the third Test at Edgbaston on 30 July.
Paceman Steve Harmison will deputise for England if Flintoff misses out but may play anyway depending on the state of the pitch.
There were calls for 30-year-old Harmison to be recalled to the side after he impressed with six wickets against the Australians for the England Lions earlier this month, dismissing opener Phillip Hughes in both innings.
However, his Durham colleague Graham Onions, who took seven wickets on his debut against the West Indies at Lord’s in May, is also in the squad.
The 26-year-old would be sure to come into serious consideration if England decide as expected to dispense with either Graham Swann or Monty Panesar.
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Flintoff insists he will not be swayed by sentiment for his inclusion in the second Test and said: “Andrew Strauss is very supportive but I will make my decision on whether I will be fit enough to play and not because I want to play one last Test for England at Lord’s.”
Strauss believes Flintoff can still play a key role for England this summer and said: "He is very much part of our strongest XI as long as he is fit.
“We’ve got every confidence he can put in some big performances with bat and ball.”
Looking ahead to the Lord’s Test, the England skipper feels the team can benefit from the hard-fought draw in the tension-filled Cardiff Test.
“A lot of our individuals probably didn’t play as well as they should have done but we hope the momentum and impetus we got from getting out of jail in Cardiff will put us in good shape for Thursday.”
Meanwhile, former captain Michael Vaughan expects the England bowling attack to change regardless of whether Flintoff is fit to play.
“Steve Harmison has been picked as a like-for-like replacement for Flintoff if he is not fit and Graham Onions will play for one of the spinners,” Vaughan told BBC Sport.
“Monty Panesar has the best record but Graeme Swann has been great and I expect the selectors to stick with him but I wouldn’t rule out Monty at Lord’s.”
**England squad: ** AJ Strauss (capt), AN Cook (Essex), RS Bopara (Essex), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), MJ Prior (Sussex, wkt), A Flintoff (Lancashire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire), MS Panesar (Northamptonshire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), G Onions (Durham), SJ Harmison (Durham)