PHOTO: K.R. DEEPAK

FOR PRIDE: England captain Andrew Flintoff would be hoping the team salvages something out of its last match against West Indies by winning it.

Ahmedabad: Andrew Flintoff, who hardly struck a blow with the bat against India and Australia at Jaipur, is all set to try his luck with the ball against the West Indies on Saturday. The England captain has not sent down a single ball since the Lancashire-Kent County match last summer. A nagging ankle of his landing foot necessitated a surgery and recuperation for four months. He did not risk bowling at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium against India and Australia, but on Friday gave sufficient hints that he would most probably bowl a few overs.

In what was the shortest of media conference ever since the Champions Trophy began here, Flintoff said he has been bowling in the nets for 15 to 20 minutes and that he has not felt any discomfort. He even burst into laughter when an inquisitive English journalist asked him if he would bowl his full quota of 10 overs should he get five wickets in the first spell.

England has been eliminated from the competition and irrespective of the outcome of the match against the West Indies, it will fly home for a short rest before flying to Australia for the Ashes. The two teams will meet for the first time after the Champions Trophy final in 2004.

To bowl or not

"Will you bowl tomorrow,'' was the first question he fielded without ambiguity. "There is a possibility that I will bowl. I bowled in the nets in the past three weeks. I am fine and will possibly bowl tomorrow. But I have no intention of bowling the full 10 overs under any circumstances.''

Flintoff made it clear that though his team would head home after Saturday's match, he would like to leave India on a winning note.

Explaining the causes of the defeats in the previous two matches he said: "The two games (against India and Australia) followed different patterns. In the first game, we lost early wickets and failed in the bowling. The second game was completely opposite. We need to perform to win. I am quite pleased with the bowling. While defending 125 and 169, you were asking hell a lot from our bowlers. We need to post a score or chase it.''

Flintoff said his team has shown character and the capability to fight back. "We bounced back in the last English summer against Pakistan from 0-2 to level 2-2. We will try and do it tomorrow, try and win a game and take a win back to England.''

After defeating India and qualifying for the semifinal, the West Indies decided to have an optional practice day. Only Fidel Edwards, Ian Bradshaw, Carlton Baugh, Wavell Hinds and Dwayne Smith had a light work out on Friday evening. Brian Lara chose to play against India in spite of being not hundred per cent fit.

Best team

"I have 36 hours before the start of the game and if I am fitter, I will definitely play. It is important we get the best team to win the game. We did experiment with our combination in Malaysia before the final and we lost to India and also the momentum, which is not what we want to do now,'' said Lara.

He said that England has not had a very good summer. "Without Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick not in the team, it is always going to be difficult for them. We are not taking them lightly. They will play for pride, now that they are out of the tournament.''

The teams (from)

England: Andrew Flintoff (Captain), Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Rikki Clarke, Paul Collingwood, Chris Read, James Darlrymple, Michael Yardy, James Anderson, Stephen Harmison, Jon Lewis, Edmund Joyce, Sajid Mahmood.

West Indies: Brian Lara (Captain), Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo, Wavell Hinds, Runako Morton, Dwayne Smith, Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh, Jerome Taylor, Ian Bradshaw, Fidel Edwards and Corey Collymore.

Umpires: Messrs: Simon Taufel (Australia) and Daryl Harper (Australia); Third umpire: Aleem Dar (Pakistan); Fourth umpire: Amit Saheba (India); Match Referee: Mike Procter.

Hours of Play: 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 6.45 p.m. onwards.

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