Justin Langer Raves About Lancashire's Finest Bowler, So Why Shouldn't We?

In an article for a well-known sports website this week, Justin Langer has waxed lyrical about the bowling prowess of long-term injury sufferer Andrew Flintoff.

The English talisman of the 2005 Ashes series has been on the long road to recovery for some time now, but the former Australian international believes that Freddie is back to his best and warrants his place in England’s starting XI for the summer—even as a specialist bowler.

“There have been whispers that he needs to score runs to scrape into the England line-up” he said, “but I have never known Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh or Glenn McGrath having to score runs to be selected.”

Even mentioning Flintoff in the same breath as these fast-bowling legends is testament to the esteem that Langer holds the England paceman in. Having faced him recently for Somerset against Lancashire, the Aussie believes that it is time to reintroduce Flintoff into the international scene—and the sooner the better.

“He had that hungry look in his eye and a hungry and inspired legend must be selected every time they are fit,” he went on to conclude. If Flintoff can prove his fitness and ability to bowl sustained Test match spells, does he have the ability to oust one of England’s current bowlers?

The answer would have to be a resounding yes.

Having proven himself exceptional as an all-rounder in 2005, many criticised his form with the bat in later Test matches. But as Langer rightly points out, his ability and consistency as a bowler stands him out as a must-pick if he can maintain his fitness.

Even when he has been in poor run-scoring form, the ability to halt the flow of opposition batsmen and break partnerships has never dipped.

The opposition he faces to regain his place in the side is strong, but not overpoweringly so. Flintoff can prove to be a useful opening bowler to complement either Sidebottom or Broad, even having the potential to come in as first change.

Add Panesar to the mix, as well as the occasional over from Collingwood, and you have a very decent bowling attack that can threaten the Black Caps in the forthcoming Test series. If Hoggard can reproduce his current county form, you have a further option for the selectors to think over.

As Langer has written, Flintoff’s ability as a bowler almost negates the fact that he has not quite regained his form as a formidable middle-order batsman.

He must surely play if fit, and we might just see the form of the man we all hailed as England’s saviour in that momentous Ashes triumph.