Aug

7

The Ashes: England v Australia, fourth Test: Preview

By Neetu Sharma - Friday, August 7th, 2009   |   113 views   |  

Andrew Flintoff will miss the Headingley Ashes Test against Australia due to a knee injury and may have played his last Test match for England.

Flintoff has been told by the England management that his knee injury will not stand the rigours of a five day Test but with such little time before the Oval Test it is now doubtful whether he will again play for England in a Test match.
A brief statement on the EBC website said: “England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will play no part in the penultimate Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley due to a knee injury.”

The all-rounder will be replaced by Steve Harmison at Headingley, meaning Stuart Broad will move up to No 7 in the batting order.

Australia also have selection issues to solve with batsman Michael Clarke struggling to be fit following an abdominal injury sustained during the Edgbaston Test.

The weather in Leeds this morning is overcast and muggy which suggests the ball may swing in the first session and the overhead conditions will be crucial.

Aside from Clarke, Australia also have to decide whether to call up Brett Lee and Stuart Clark who are both putting pressure on the bowlers for a place in the side.

Lee claims he is 100 per cent fit after a rib injury while Clark’s stock has risen by not playing.

Off-spinner Nathan Hauritz and seamer Peter Siddle appear to be the most likely to drop out.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was yesterday making further progress as he recovers from a broken finger sustained in the warm-up at Edgbaston and will replace Graham Manou if he is declared fit to play.

Traffic around Headingley was gridlocked this morning and Yorkshire are expecting this Test match to bring around £8 million revenue into the club.

With that in mind it is easy to understand why they are billing this as the most important match the ground has ever staged.

England’s preparations have been hit after they were evacuated from their hotel this morning hours before the start of the fourth Test following a fire alarm.

The players and staff were removed from the Radisson SAS Hotel and were forced to wait outside amid heavy rain in Leeds.

An ECB spokesman confirmed: “It was a fire alarm. There was an evacuation at about 4.50am and then a nice little 20 minutes standing outside with the rain falling.

“Two fire engines came to the hotel and then we were all allowed back in.”

Off-spinner Graeme Swann had earlier written on his Twitter account: “fire alarm? brilliant!!!”

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