Flintoff Fitness Still Dubious

Flintoff had surgery in August to ensure he would be fit for the start of the Ashes series but with only 10 days before the second Test starts in Adelaide his fitness is still an issue.

He was sent for a scan on Monday after complaining of discomfort in his back while featuring as a substitute fielder for Simon Jones during the first Test.

Although Flintoff has been given the all-clear, the tourists' management are no more than hopeful that he will be able to feature in Friday's match.

England claim they are "optimistic" about Flintoff's participation and have hired a pilates teacher, which they also did in South Africa two years ago, to work alongside him to try to speed up his recovery for the three-day match in Hobart.

But should Flintoff fail to recover in time for this week's match, it would put his participation in the remainder of the series in doubt because it leads into an intense programme of international matches.

As soon as England finish in Hobart, they travel to Adelaide where they will play the first of two back-to-back Tests there and in Perth.

The first half of the triangular one-day tournament involving Australia and Sri Lanka then follows, before the back-to-back Christmas and New Year Tests in Melbourne and Sydney complete the Ashes series.