 Flintoff says he has a good relationship with coach Fletcher |
England captain Andrew Flintoff has played down reports he and coach Duncan Fletcher were at loggerheads over the selection for the second Ashes Test. Newspapers claimed Flintoff wanted spinner Ashley Giles ahead of Monty Panesar, who was Fletcher's choice.
"Selection wasn't an issue for four days at Adelaide and wasn't the reason we lost," Flintoff said.
"Selection meetings are all about discussion but whatever side goes out has the full support of everyone."
The all-rounder emphasised: "Duncan Fletcher and I have a good relationship."
England's six-wicket defeat in Adelaide left them 2-0 down in the series, needing to tie it to keep the Ashes.
Flintoff continued: "We've taken huge stick and I can't argue with that but don't accuse this England team of not caring. That upsets me even more.
"I give everything when I am on the cricket field and always have done.
"It wasn't until I woke up the next morning that the real horror began to sink in. When I woke up, my first thought was that it had all been a bad dream."
Speaking on BBC Five Live's Sportsweek programme, chairman of selectors David Graveney also played down rumours of a rift between Fletcher and Flintoff.
"I'm not going to speculate on Freddie over-ruling Duncan. They would have reached this decision together," he said.
"Us being 2-0 down isn't about which spinner plays or both playing."
Fletcher has borne the brunt of criticism after Panesar, so successful in his first year in Test cricket, was left out for the first two Tests in Australia.
Graveney continued: "I'm disappointed with the amount of criticism that's been aimed at Duncan solely.
"The way that we've organised English cricket is around collective responsibility - when things go badly, that's a collective responsibility.
"The selectors - Duncan, me and Geoff Miller - deliver a squad to the coach Duncan and captain Andrew Flintoff.
"No-one makes a decision on their own. The process has been in place on many tours before, on which we've had a lot of success.
"In the first Test, regrettably our seam bowling was not on the money at all, and in the second one we had a mad hour with the bat.
"We've got great resolve in this team - we've had some success, but we know everyone has to pull together."
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Interview: David Graveney
