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We won't risk Flintoff's future - Moores
Cricinfo staff
September 15, 2007

Andrew Flintoff gives it his all, as usual... but could that prove a problem? © Getty Images

Peter Moores says England will not jeopardise Andrew Flintoff's future if his left ankle could be further damaged by continuing to play.
Flintoff has struggled following a third operation on his ankle this summer, whereby he missed both Test series against West Indies and India. He returned for the one-day series against India, but, after suffering a swollen knee at Bristol, felt more pain in his left ankle following the match at Old Trafford. He missed two further games before having a steroid injection to help him through the decider at Lord's.
During his four-over spell against Australia in the ICC World Twenty20 pain was etched on his face and such determination to play through the problem has prompted fears he could do himself more damage.
"At the moment I do know that Fred wants to play cricket," admitted Moores, England's coach. "He could aggravate it here but he could aggravate it at the next tournament, so you have to find out.
"His ankle needs managing, there's no doubt about that, but this is quite a good tournament for us to be able to test out where we are with him. He has four-over spells. It's a short form of the game and we can control it and look at it so at the end of every game we do that.
"If at any stage we thought we were damaging it or making it worse, he wouldn't play. That is the basic premise everyone is working towards. He's getting through and it's manageable so they can look at different ways of rehab and strengthening it as we go along. At the moment it isn't great because he's definitely having to work a little bit within himself, but he's still doing a good job for the team."
Moores then allayed worries that, in order to prolong his career, it may be best for Flintoff to pick and choose which matches he plays. He said that it's not something England have considered just yet "because we just don't know."
"You can wrap him up and leave him but they've got to find out and I think that's common sense. He saw the surgeon before we came out and the surgeon was very happy with it. It's all credit to Fred for getting stuck in and playing."
Flintoff will undergo a fitness test - something he will be well used to by now - before England's first Super Eight match against hosts South Africa on Sunday.