England bowling coach Allan Donald thinks all-rounder Andrew Flintoff
has a glitch in his bowling action and has to rectify it to prolong his career.
"Freddie had a chat with me during the Old Trafford Test when he was still
on crutches and asked if we should work on getting his front foot straight when
he lands "At the moment Freddie's left foot points inwards when it lands
and then it twists straight as he comes over the top. So there is a lot of counter-thrusting
and bones and muscles are working against each other," Donald was quoted
in the Daily Telegraph.
"It's a major issue and it could be a long-term worry. But it is going
to be difficult to change something that he has been used to doing for many
years," he said.
Donald is closely watching Flintoff, who aims to make a return
to international cricket in the one-day series against India after a four-month
layoff due to an ankle injury.
"Ideally it's something that we would need to work on
in close season. But it's up to Freddie whether he is willing to go through
the process of trying to modify his action.
"At the moment he is just happy to be playing again, you
could see at Edgbaston (against Gloucestershire) that he was almost bursting
out of his seams. I think the selectors and coaching team are also excited to
have him back and he will make a massive difference in the one-day internationals,"
Donald said.
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