Cricket: We need to keep Freddie firing on all cylinders

LOSING Graham Thorpe is a big blow to England - but losing someone like Andrew Flintoff for the World Cup would probably give the selectors a bigger headache.

Thorpe's decision to take a break from international cricket was for being "burnt out" by his personal situation off the field. But the greatest fear for England must be burn-out on the field and how it could affect our World Cup bid.

If anyone deserves to feel knackered right now it's Freddie Flintoff. Even Superman would be puffing a little after the amount of top-class cricket he has played in the last 15 months.

And how is Freddie going to feel seven months from now? By then it is likely he will have played in the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, the Ashes in Australia and the World Cup in South Africa.

But it's hard to see when, between now and next spring, he will get a break. I know a few others will be in the same boat, mixing it up in the one-dayers and Tests. But nobody feels the demands of modern-day cricket more than an all-rounder like Freddie.

Fortunately, he is young and hungry. If you ask him what he'd like to do for the next half a year or so he'd say play in every single England Test, one-day or friendly.

And every England selector, team member and fan will echo his thoughts.

Freddie is one of the most explosive performers on the world stage and if England are to win the World Cup we will need him to be fresh in mind and body as well as fit.

I'm sure the management will be closely monitoring the way Freddie and the rest of us go regarding our physical and mental well-being.

That's one of the main reasons why coach Duncan Fletcher and captain Nasser Hussain have been so successful - they have their fingers on the pulse all the time.

If anything proved that fact it was the way the team beat a very talented Indian side at Lord's. Our supposed makeshift bowling attack - minus guys like Darren Gough, Andy Caddick and Alex Tudor - didn't do bad, did it?

Injuries to key players meant chances were going begging for others and they were very happily snapped up. It was the perfect way to start this second Test series of the summer.

But next time I think we should get acclimatised before playing at Lord's! It was so hot out there I could have sworn India were the home side.

It was like Delhi in the middle of a heatwave. It's worse because one moment it's 18 degrees, the next it's 32.

I don't think they could have asked for anything more from me. I contributed with both bat and ball - and we won the Test quite convincingly.

But even though I did well at Lord's I could still be dropped for Nottingham. Nobody can take their place in the starting line-up for granted. Not even Simon Jones!

Jones was a revelation at Lord's. He has a great attitude to bowling and he lit up the changing room.

But watching him bowl I was wondering, if he's this quick on a dead, fairly slowish wicket what's he going to be like on a lively one?

Hopefully, Trent Bridge will be a nice, fast, bouncy pitch and Simon can really let rip.

John Crawley has had several chances and has been fairly unlucky in the past. But his performance at Lord's proved he could well be around for a while. Alex Tudor is fit again and pushing for his place back in the bowling attack.

I can only keep my fingers crossed and hope I get another go at Tendulkar and Co at Trent Bridge.

ONE UP, THREE TO GO

1st TEST (Lord's): England won by 170 runs

2nd TEST (Trent Bridge): August 8-12

3rd TEST (Headingley): August 22-26

4th TEST (Oval): September 5-9

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