Flintoff out of ODIs in Sri Lanka

Mumbai: England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will return home to the UK today to receive specialist assessment on his left ankle. As a result he will not take part in England’s forthcoming One-Day series in Sri Lanka.

Following the recent NatWest series in England, Flintoff experienced a reaction in his left ankle but subsequent scans determined no new injury had been sustained and after consultations with specialists it was felt that the ICC World Twenty20 tournament would provide a safe platform to assess how Andrew’s ankle would respond to bowling in match conditions, without the risk of further damage to the ankle.

Flintoff has experienced some discomfort as the World Twenty20 tournament has progressed, but has been determined to provide a contribution to the team’s performance. At no time was further damage to the ankle sustained, but unfortunately it was clear that his ability to increase the intensity of his rehab and participation could not be progressed.

Accordingly, after ongoing review and discussion with specialists, it is felt that the appropriate course of action is to allow time for the ankle joint to settle and recover before the process of further strengthening and assessment of the ankle is intensified. Therefore, Flintoff will return to the UK to receive further specialist investigation and rehabilitation.

At this stage he has not been ruled out of the Sri Lanka Test tour commencing in November.

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