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England ready for Ashes challenge I'm ready for Ashes says Flintoff
(about 5 hours later)
Captain Andrew Flintoff believes England will have to improve on their 2005 performance against Australia if they are to retain the Ashes. Andrew Flintoff is confident he will be physically ready for the challenge of captaining England in an Ashes series.
Flintoff and the rest of the squad will set off for Australia from Heathrow airport at 9.30pm on Friday evening. Flintoff returned for his country in the Champions Trophy in October, four months after undergoing ankle surgery.
"It's going to be incredible," the Lancashire all-rounder said. But speaking ahead of the flight to Australia at 2130 GMT he said: "The chance to play again was invaluable.
"There'll be all the attention, all the spotlight, all the rivalry and all the history. It gives me a tingle - I'm chomping at the bit to get started." "We have two three-day warm-up games before the first Test and that will be perfect. By the time we get to Brisbane we'll hit the ground running."
Flintoff played a huge part in England's 2-1 success last summer, scoring over 400 runs and taking 24 wickets. The tour starts with a one-day game against an Australian Prime Minister's XI at Canberra on 10 November.
606: DEBATE class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A16989934">I'd say England are slight favourites to retain the Ashes bathcricket class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/606/default.stm">606: Have your say This time he has the added responsibility of leading the side in the absence of Michael Vaughan, who is still working to regain full fitness after knee surgery. It will be followed by matches against New South Wales and South Australia before the main business of the first Test in Brisbane, which begins on 23 November.
And he has under no illusions about how hard Australia will fight to regain supremacy in the game's oldest rivalry. England won an Ashes series for the first time in 18 years in 2005 in what many have called the greatest Test series in the history of the game.
"Australia will be desperate to win back the Ashes and we're desperate to retain them. It will make for compelling viewing. Hopefully we can do something special and create a buzz about cricket again over the next few weeks Andrew Flintoff
"I don't know if the series can be as good as the one last year, but one thing I know is it will be very tough and competitive," Flintoff told The Sun newspaper. Flintoff played a huge part in their 2-1 success, scoring more than 400 runs and taking 24 wickets.
"I'm not one for making big statements or predictions, but we're going down there in a confident frame of mind. This time he has the added responsibility of leading the side in the absence of Michael Vaughan, who is still working to regain full fitness after knee surgery.
"We'll have to play well to succeed, probably even better than we did in 2005. But we have lads who can perform at the highest level. I believe we have a good chance." The Lancashire star is not sure whether this year's contests will emulate last year's dramatic games but is determined to recreate the euphoria which surrounded their achievements.
England start the tour with a one-day game against an Australian Prime Minister's XI at Canberra on 10 November. "In England each Test match got bigger and bigger and we got a real feeling of what the Ashes was about," he enthused.
It will be followed by three-day games against New South Wales and South Australia before the main business of the first Test in Brisbane, which begins on 23 November. "We've been looking forward to this for a long time. It's something you dream about.
Australia seam bowler Glenn McGrath, meanwhile, is expecting England's batsmen to try and dominate him from the outset. "Hopefully we can do something special and create a buzz about cricket again over the next few weeks."
The 36-year-old recently returned to action at the ICC Champions Trophy after a lengthy break from the game to spend time with his wife, who has been battling cancer. 606: DEBATE class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A16989934">I'd say England are slight favourites to retain the Ashes bathcricket class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/606/default.stm">606: Have your say
"I'll be happy if they come out like that," said McGrath. Flintoff's squad contains several youngsters with no experience of Ashes contests, such as Alastair Cook, Monty Panesar, Liam Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood.
"Each game I've played, I've put a little piece of the puzzle back together. But the 28-year-old says they are relishing the chance to take on the world champions on their own turf.
"There's a few more games until the Ashes and I shouldn't be too far off 100%." "It's going to be tough but having the chance to go to Australia to compete against the best side in the world is something the lads are very excited about," he added.
"We'll go there confident, with a young and talented side looking forward to testing their wits against Australia in Australia.
"This is the reason we play the game - we're going over to play in what could be the biggest series ever.
"We're going out with quiet confidence and looking forward to the challenge."