Flintoff reveals fitness regime keeping his Ashes dream alive

London:

Andrew Flintoff has revealed the intensive fitness regime that he hopes will allow him to lead England to Ashes victory over Australia.

Flintoff has been struggling with a persistent knee problem which has already forced him to announce his retirement from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes series.

It had been reported that the Lancashire star may not even be able to finish the series but, with England leading 1-0 with three Tests remaining, Flintoff has no intention of quitting now.

In an attempt to be ready to take part when the third Test starts at Edgbaston on Wednesday, he has been sleeping with a special compression machine on his troublesome joint.

"After the Test match at Lord's last week my knee was a bit sore but I've been icing it and getting treatment from Lancashire physio Dave Roberts," he told talkSPORT.

"I've been in the gym and have to prove my fitness at training on Tuesday. After every session I've been icing it and now I have this machine that I put on the knee every night.

"It gets in the way a little bit. It wraps around my knee and it compresses it, half an hour on, half an hour off, throughout the night. Last week I bowled in some discomfort. But I managed to bowl my overs and get through.

"I managed to bowl at a decent pace so I'll hopefully prove that I'm fine and hopefully the weather will keep away on Thursday at Edgbaston."