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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Flintoff back as England skipper | Flintoff back as England skipper |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Andrew Flintoff will return as England captain for England's third match in the Commonwealth Bank Series on Friday. | Andrew Flintoff will return as England captain for England's third match in the Commonwealth Bank Series on Friday. |
| Flintoff stood in for Michael Vaughan in the Ashes series, before Vaughan returned for the one-day matches. | 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. | 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. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| But he will now have to bide his time for a place in the starting line-up unless England choose to drop Ed Joyce. | But he will now have to bide his time for a place in the starting line-up unless England choose to drop Ed Joyce. |
| It's something I wanted to think about - I didn't expect this when Michael came back Andrew Flintoff | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | "It's something I wanted to think about - I didn't expect this when Michael came back," said Flintoff. |
| "It was about getting it right in my mind and you shouldn't underestimate what a big job it is. | "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." | "We are a young, inexperienced side and I wanted to get it straight in my mind." |