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England star Andrew Flintoff would return to captain the home team in the second Test at Old Trafford and is eyeing a 1-0 lead against Pakistan there.

Freddie, as he is better known in England, missed the opening Test at Lord’s because of an ankle injury, and said on Tuesday that his team would beat Pakistan in Manchester.

“The Lord’s wicket was pretty good for batting and even then England did a fine job. I hope we would get them at Old Trafford,” said Flintoff.

Old Trafford is Flintoff’s home ground and he is expected to boost an England side that needed the aggression of the talented all-rounder at Lord’s.

Andrew Strauss, who led England in the first Test in Flintoff’s absence in the first Test, agreed that his team-mate’s comeback at Old Trafford would strengthen the hosts.

“We are all looking forward to Freddie’s comeback. As captain I am pleased at the way the boys responded to may captaincy at Lord’s but now that Freddie would be back I would be fully supporting in him.”

Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer is also aware that Freddie’s return would make England a different side. “Freddie would be fresh and firing and he could make things tougher for us,” said Woolmer.

But the coach said that his team would also be in better shape with the return of prolific batsman Younis Khan who missed the Lord’s Test because of a knee injury. “Younis is 100 percent fit and would play at Old Trafford,” said Woolmer.

Source:The News

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