This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6166231.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Flintoff offers Fletcher support | |
(about 18 hours later) | |
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." | |
Interview: David Graveney | |
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." | "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 way that we've organised English cricket is around collective responsibility - when things go badly, that's a collective responsibility. |
606 DEBATE: Your views on Graveney's comments | 606 DEBATE: Your views on Graveney's comments |
"The selectors - Duncan, me and Geoff Miller - deliver a squad to the coach Duncan and captain Andrew Flintoff. | "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. | "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. | "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." | "We've got great resolve in this team - we've had some success, but we know everyone has to pull together." |