Flintoff gave a match-winning performance against New Zealand

Flintoff stood in for Michael Vaughan in the Ashes series, before Vaughan returned for the one-day matches.

But the regular captain has picked up a hamstring injury and will miss the match against Australia in Brisbane.

Ravi Bopara could play on Friday and could take Vaughan's place opening the batting, but Lancashire's Mal Loye has been added to the squad as cover.

Interview: England captain Andrew Flintoff

Bopara, 21, normally bats at five for his county Essex in one-day matches, and is used as an all-rounder. He bowls brisk medium pace.

Loye, who has been playing for Auckland, landed in Brisbane on a flight from New Zealand on Wednesday and was hoping to get an immediate slice of the action.

A fast-scoring opening batsman, he will probably have to bide his time for a place in the starting line-up assuming Bopara makes his international debut and Ed Joyce is retained in the side.

It's something I wanted to think about - I didn't expect this when Michael came back Andrew Flintoff

Flintoff's first six matches as an England captain in one-day internationals all led to defeats.

In the seventh, a "dead" match in the ICC Champions Trophy, England beat West Indies.

Flintoff was man of the match when England beat New Zealand on Tuesday for their first victory during the Australian tour.

The captaincy announcement was delayed on a day that England made their way from Tasmania to Queensland via Melbourne, with Flintoff insisting he wanted to give his decision appropriate thought.

Final discussions took place between flights on Wednesday afternoon and he was revealed as captain once again at 9.30pm (1130 GMT) local time in Brisbane.

"It's something I wanted to think about - I didn't expect this when Michael came back," said Flintoff.

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"It was about getting it right in my mind and you shouldn't underestimate what a big job it is. We are a young, inexperienced side and I wanted to get it straight in my mind."

He added: "Throughout the Ashes I learnt a few things about myself, about my game, about captaining and I now need to take that into however long I am going to be captain of this team.

"I chatted with Vaughany and like me he wanted it to be the right decision for myself. I spoke to him as a captain and as a mate as well, we chatted things over, I am here and doing it.

"Throughout the series, speaking about loyalty, every one of the lads, the coach, the staff have been fantastic with me. They have stuck with me, they still want me to do the job and they spoke to me about doing it. On that front it's a big thumbs up.