Flintoff hoping to enhance his World Cup hopes

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is hoping to strengthen his case for inclusion in England's squad for next year's World Cup during the upcoming one-day series in India.

"At the moment, I will only try to get into the playing eleven against India in the one-day series and into the team for the World Cup," Flintoff said during a media conference on Monday. "I am not looking any further."

The powerful 24-year-old has been regarded as a potential match-winner since making his England debut four years ago, but injuries and poor form have stunted his progress.

However a stint at the Australian Cricket Academy has helped his fitness and he is being regarded as a key player for the series in India, especially after fellow all-rounder Craig White dropped out to undergo knee surgery.

Flintoff drew praise for his sharp bowling during England's 1-0 Test series defeat in India last month and he is now hoping to re-discover his best form with the bat.

"I keep improving the bowling and hopefully the batting will improve as well," he said.

Flintoff was voted man of the match in the final drawn Test in India after some impressive new-ball bowling, but he managed only 26 runs in five Test innings.

When the Lancashire player first burst onto the scene he was immediately compared with former England great Ian Botham, his childhood idol and the world's leading all-rounder in the late 1970's and '80s.

"Every (English) all-rounder gets compared to Ian. Even Ben (Ben Hollioake) was compared to him for some time. But in my case, the comparisons now seem to have stopped," he said.

"Ian was a great player. You cannot expect another Botham. Players like him don't come along every day."

Mail Cricket Editor