da realbet： Andrew Flintoff was a satisfied man at the end of the fourth day’s play,having carried England back into control of the first Test in Multan withthe best match figures of his career
da lvbet： Andrew Miller15-Nov-2005
Flintoff: ‘after 80 overs it looked like a dog had chewed it, so we knew we had touse the new ball effectively’ © AFP
Andrew Flintoff was a satisfied man at the end of the fourth day’s play,having carried England back into control of the first Test in Multan withthe best match figures of his career. A haul of 4 for 88, to add to his 4for 68 in the first innings, left England needing just 198 for victory,and by the close they had reached 24 for 1, with Marcus Trescothickfalling to Shabbir Ahmed for 5.”We’ve worked hard today,” said Flintoff. “Obviously at one stage we feltlike Pakistan might have been in a position to declare, but we stuck toour task as a pack of bowlers, and the fielding was exceptional. We knowit’s not going to be easy on a last-day pitch, but it’s held up prettywell and we’re going to be confident going into tomorrow.”The wicket’s played well all game, but it’s the last day and it couldspin a little more. It’s been getting stuck in the surface a bit andkeeping a little bit low, but it’s a good surface and we think we can score 170runs.”Flintoff may have been England’s attack leader, as he took the new ballfor the first time since the Pretoria Test against South Africa in January, but he let his fellow seamers share the plaudits, after they had reined Pakistan in from a threatening 266 for 3 to 341 all out.”Bowling as a group is the one thing we’ve done over a period of time,” hesaid. “Matthew Hoggard was outstanding once again and Steve Harmisonchipped in with three at the end. We knew when we came here it was goingto be hard, because after the initial burst with the new ball we weregoing to have to stick in, dry the runs up and wait for the new ball tocome round again. We took it and used it effectively.”By the close England were within striking distance of their sixth Testvictory of the year, but Flintoff was taking nothing for granted. “We’rein a position to win it, but it’s not going to be easy,” he said. “We’regoing to have to play in the way we have done over a period of time. We’vegot quite a bit of talent in our dressing-room, and so we’ll beconfident.”The crucial phase of the fourth day was the second new ball, as Flintoffacknowledged afterwards. “We’ve not really got the ball to reverse, andafter 80 overs it looked like a dog had chewed it, so we knew we had touse the new ball effectively. Pakistan could have got away, but we cameback well and hard, and it was a crucial session before tea.””It’s a war of attrition for bowlers out here,” he said, when asked aboutthe personal significance of his haul. “You’ve got to keep hitting thedeck and keep aiming to knock off stump out of the ground, with the oddbumper as well. It’s very satisfying to come off with eight on a pitchlike that. Of course, I’d like more five-fors, but if the team is gettingten an innings, it doesn’t matter who gets them.”Whether he would be keeping the new-ball role ahead of Steve Harmison,Flintoff couldn’t say. “I’ve practised with the new ball in the nets so Ifeel confident but I think it’ll chop and change. It’s hard to say who’llbe more effective. I’ve had a run with it today but don’t know if that’sthe theme for the rest of the series. I’m sure Harmy’s keen to get hishands back on it.”
