Flintoff targets October return

Andrew Flintoff aims to be playing cricket by mid-October, a month before the first Ashes test.

He underwent surgery for an ankle injury last week and is on a rehabilitation program with his fitness trainer Dave Roberts. He will need approximately 12 weeks to recover from his operation, but will need to regain match fitness before the Brisbane Test, which starts on November 23.

David Graveney suggested that Flintoff, as well as Simon Jones and Ashley Giles may play grade cricket in Australia to build up match fitness, but Flintoff has no though that far ahead yet: “There’s been a lot of talk that I might play some grade cricket in Australia or get a game somewhere else to help regain match fitness. But I’m not looking that far ahead. At the moment, I’m sitting on my couch wearing a big boot and holding a pair of crutches.”