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The Pakistan cricket team coach Bob Woolmer has rejected the impression that his team held the upper hand in the Test series against England after the hosts lost their skipper Andrew Flintoff for the rest of the series because of an ankle injury.

“We can’t look at individuals,” the Englishman said when asked whether Flintoff’s absence would boost his team’s chances to beat England this summer. “We have our own injury problems and just need to get on with the game,” said Woolmer while talking to reporters here at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Woolmer agreed that Flintoff’s absence would be a blow for England but added that he expects the home side would have recovered from it when it meets Pakistan here for the second Test later this week.

Flintoff missed the opening Test at Lord’s because of an ankle injury but was expected to make a comeback at his homeground here for the next match. His comeback bid was however dented when specialists advised him to go for surgery that has ruled him out of international cricket for 12 weeks.

Woolmer said that more than looking for what is happening in the England camp - he was more interested to concentrate on his own players.

He said that after the drawn Lord’s Test, his players were keen to do better at Old Trafford. “We’ve had a couple of days off and now these boys are looking keen for some good cricket,” he told.

He said that training facilities at Old Trafford were absolutely fantastic and was confident that Pakistan would be fully ready to take on England in the forthcoming Test.

“I think we played well at Lord’s in the given circumstances. We were playing without a few key players and lost two batsmen just before the start of the match,” he said referring to vice-captain Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik. He revealed that his players were in a better shape ahead of the second Test.

Woolmer added the team management has taken a long, hard look at the Old Trafford wicket adding that he thinks it is a fast-paced, bouncy track.
Source:The News