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View Full Version : Should Flintoff have surgery

daz_75
20-01-2005, 15:11
I think he should go home after this test and get his bone spur sorted. He should hopefulyl be ready in time for the ashes, but of course that could all go belly up.

Interesting bbc article on it here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/4190657.stm)
kjn6371
20-01-2005, 16:16
I can't believe management are even thinking about him playing in the one dayers, get him home and sorted out. He can't keep having cortisone injections or he's going to be in a bad way in later life.
GregB
20-01-2005, 17:02
I'd send him now as the extra week will help him recover earleir for the ashes. If Harmison was in form then I'm sure they would do this as they have Ian Bell as an ideal replacement.

If he does play the test then he should come home as soon as possible after the game
daz_75
20-01-2005, 17:19
I'd send him now as the extra week will help him recover earleir for the ashes. If Harmison was in form then I'm sure they would do this as they have Ian Bell as an ideal replacement.

If he does play the test then he should come home as soon as possible after the game

We've had to rely on Flintoff quite a lot for his bowling in SA, i'm guessing that's why it's flared up again.

thinking a bit more about this, does anyone think he could last the english summer, play the ashes and then have the surgery?
kjn6371
20-01-2005, 18:15
Yeah he could probably last it out but at what cost to Freddie, I wouldn't want him in a wheelchair in later life because of all the shots he had.
Alan b
20-01-2005, 18:33
I can't believe management are even thinking about him playing in the one dayers, get him home and sorted out. He can't keep having cortisone injections or he's going to be in a bad way in later life.

I can't agree more, get him sorted out for the Ashes as we might need him. Also with Flintoff absence it will give others a chance, Collingwood in particular.
TonyA
20-01-2005, 18:55
Yes, definitely. There should only be two concerns over Freddie's injury:

1 - Flintoff's own fitness and health in the future. Cortisone injections can cause long-term damage if persistently used. Considering Flintoff's injury problems earlier on in his career, it's possible he's needed them before.

2 - From a cricketing perspective, there should only be one aim in the next eight months and that's to win the Ashes. Seven one-dayers in SA, the Tests at home against Bangladesh, and the one-day matches before the Ashes are nowhere near as important and we should be able manage without Flintoff (and, possibly, Harmison) for those games.

Judging by the pitch the South African's have prepared at Centurian Park, it looks as though it could be bowler friendly - if Flintoff's fit enough, we will need his aggression on the bowling front.
Hgm04
20-01-2005, 19:05
No question.. after this test he needs to come home and have the surgery. Im looking forward to this ashes series more and more, and part of that reason.. is Freddie. I was gutted last time when he wasn't fit to play against them.

Of course, this takes a little of the excitement away from the upcoming one dayers, as we all know how Freddie can play in them, but Tests HAVE to be the priority.. and the tests against the Aussies in particluar.

We'll just have to hope Pieterson can smack SA to all parts instead.
Davester
20-01-2005, 22:34
It seems that the general feeling is sort this asap so he can play in the summer. If the guy is having cortisone injections things are pretty bad, so why not operate tomorrow and have him fit to face the australians,because beating them means far more to cricket fans over here (and teh general public which has obvious spillover benefits to the game) than doing SA over on their patch.
kjn6371
20-01-2005, 22:44
It's worth waiting 5 days in the hope of victory for the first series win versus the 'Boks in 30 years though.
Adam Thirnis
20-01-2005, 23:33
Who cares about the one-day games? Get the boy fit for the summer and stop messing around.