 Flintoff dismissed Rob Key with his first delivery |
Andrew Flintoff will ease back into the England Test side as long as he has no further ankle injury set-backs, says Lancashire coach Mike Watkinson. Flintoff took two wickets in his first four overs for his county against Kent.
"Anything can happen in the course of the game but as it stands at the moment I don't see any reason why his fitness will take any steps back.
"He bowled with good aggression and was certainly our most hostile bowler out there," Watkinson told BBC Five Live.
"Hopefully he'll continue in the same vein and come out in fine form, ready to take on the challenges ahead."
 | We've not picked him to be a passenger in our side in any way |
With the second Test looming on 27 July, Flintoff played four-day cricket for the first time this year, having taken part in two Twenty20 matches.
He was out for four early in the day but when it was Lancashire's turn to bowl he dismissed his sometime England team-mate Rob Key first ball then pinned Test veteran Martin van Jaarsveld lbw.
Watkinson insisted Flintoff's workload would not be restricted during the game, and that he would share overs with the rest of the four-man pace attack.
"He's playing a full-on role for us in this game. We've not picked him to be a passenger in our side in any way," he added.
"He will be asked to bowl when the match situation warrants.
"He's played a couple of Twenty20 games and he's had double the workload of the rest of the players because he's had so much conditioning work."
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Interview: Lancashire coach Mike Watkinson