14 Wednesday 10th December, 2008 Extra security will make it a challenge, says Flintoff

by Flintoff was one of those who made the decision to go and play took their time over making his in India and we want to give he environment is going decision after the team’s two-hour a good account of ourselves. These to be completely differ- meeting in Abu Dhabi on Sunday circumstances might make the “Tent when you talk about night. team tighter and hopefully this can commandos and hotels being locked “I took time to ring family and be reflected in the results.” down, but those are the measures think it over myself,” he admitted. Arguably the most influential they feel we need to take,” said “It was just a case of digesting it person in England’s squad, Flintoff after England arrived in and getting it straight in my mind. Flintoff ’s well-publicised wavering Chennai (formerly known as We needed to know how the tour over a return to India might have Madras). was going to take place and, once gathered numbers had he not “That is going to be a challenge that was presented to us, we could budged. But teams have bonds, for the lads. A few of us experi- then decide. which, while not easily made, can enced something similar here in “There was safety to consider be quickly destroyed. 2002 when we had guards every- and also whether it was right to be “One of the reasons I decided to where, but hopefully that will wear playing in India so soon after go was for my team-mates. We did- off pretty quickly.” Mumbai. I can’t vouch for other n’t want to get into the position There are players but for me the Indian where the team was split up. Even bound to be some Premier League didn’t come into it though we got beat during the one- tentative moves at all. Safety is far bigger than the day series against India, the spirit made by all con- IPL.” in the camp was really good and cerned over the England’s players certainly that’s something we don’t want to next few days, but should not want for inspiration, lose. So unity has played a major Flintoff, as fierce a judging from the throngs of people part.” Now England’s competitor as there who greeted them at Madras air- The gap between flying back cricketers are is with bat or ball port on Monday. With at least 60 sol- home and returning has not been in hand, reckons diers and commandos to ease their without cricketing benefit, allowing “ that normal service passage, they were quickly whisked the ankle Flintoff twisted in back in India, will be resumed way, but even a fleeting glimpse of Bangalore to mend. It is a lone plus Andrew Flintoff once the Test Kevin Pietersen and his team did as England cannot have experi- wants them to match starts on not disappoint the 1,000-strong enced worse preparation for a big Thursday. crowd, who clicked and flashed match in the modern era. concentrate on “Once you’re away with cameras. “The Stanford match might cap “Kakerukun” the robot competes in a 5-meter race of humanoid robots, part of the third out in the middle “I don’t think it can get any big- it,” admitted Flintoff. “But we’ve Kyosho Athletics Humanoid Cup competition, in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008. the cricket, at Sachin ger,” admitted Flintoff. “They had three weeks playing in the one- Sponsored by Japanese toy maker Kyosho, the short race attracted 22 radio-controlled though that Tendulkar or try- always seem happy to see us here day series and we’ve practised in humanoid robots. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) ing to hit anyway. Possibly we can achieve Abu Dhabi. The preparation isn’t might be diffi- Harbhajan Singh something that is bigger than crick- ideal by any stretch, but once that around, I don’t et but we are here to win a Test game starts on Thursday prepara- cult given the think you’ll be wor- series. But I’m sure we’ll get a good tion goes out the window and we’ve

security plans rying about who reception from the Indian pub- just got to get on with it.” Former England cricketer Lewis might be around off lic; they are a knowledgeable

to have armed the ground,” he lot and it’s one of the better (C) The Telegraph accused of smuggling cocaine said. “I think that places in the world to play Group, London, 2008 soldiers five by Richard Edwards will happen more cricket.” being labelled “the new Ian yards apart“ when you’re at the With the burden of expec- Former England cricketer Botham”. hotel or mooching tation removed, given the Chris Lewis is due to appear in He took 93 and had a around the around.” lack of preparation and mental court accused of smuggling up to average of 23 in his boundary. It was weighing baggage the players have £200,000 worth of cocaine into England Test career. any distractions hauled around over the Britain. He could be a match-winning against a reduction last 10 days, some believe Lewis, 40, a mainstay in the fast bowler, late-middle order in his competitive the situation could England team for eight years in batsman and fielder, but critics edge that caused encourage England’s the 1990s, was arrested on Lewis felt that he never lived up to his Flintoff to question cricketers to play more Monday at Gatwick Airport. UK promise - and he left the game a the wisdom of freely. But Flintoff has Border Agency staff said that they found controversial figure. resuming the tour. been around long enough to 9lb of liquid cocaine hidden in fruit tins Lewis said that he felt he was driven Obviously personal know that one man’s theo- within luggage. out of , after alleging that safety and the worry his family ry can quickly become Lewis, and basketball player Chad three England team-mates had taken might have to cope with were more another’s flight of Kirnon, 26, who are both from London, bribes to throw matches - a charge that powerful considerations, but having fantasy. had arrived on a flight from St Lucia in was never substantiated. He became to possibly compromise his cricket “Hopefully we the Caribbean. They were held and ques- unpopular on the county scene, he lost also irked him. will be tioned by Customs officials, charged, and his form and he left professional cricket “That was one of the things I inspired,” he are due to appear at Crawley in 2000, aged 32. had to get right in my mind as said, not quite Magistrates’ Court. Lewis continued playing club cricket well,” said Flintoff. “The one thing able to hide the Lewis, who was born Guyana, played in the Lancashire leagues and coached about me is that I have to be able to note of scepti- county cricket for Nottinghamshire, children in Berkshire. try my best when I get on a cricket cism in his Surrey and Leicestershire. This year he came out of an eight- field. So I had to be sure I could give voice. “The He was regarded as a mercurial tal- year retirement to play Twenty 20 match- my all.” team have ent and like many England all-rounders es for Surrey. However, his comeback Andrew Flintoff in the 1990s, suffered from the pressure of lasted only two matches. England return to India driven by money, claims by Telegraph Staff now stands exposed. It is all about money and nothing else. ngland returned to India for “If India didn’t have the finan- their two-Test series, despite cial clout no team would bother to Eabandoning the seven-match go there so soon after the Mumbai one-day programme after five attacks.” games because of the trouble in Former Pakistan cap- Latif said that security could Mumbai. tain Rashid Latif not be guaranteed anywhere in the Teams have refused to tour world. Pakistan, however, since the politi- believes“ that teams are “Anything can happen any- cal unrest which saw former Prime where,” he said, asking why if

Minister Benazir Bhutto assassi- only willing to tour teams could accept security assur- nated last December. ances from the Board of Control for Australia indefinitely post- India in the wake of Cricket in India and government,

poned a series scheduled for April the terror attacks in they could not do the same when this year, while the Champions the Pakistan Cricket Board and Trophy was put off after several Mumbai because of the their government urged them to teams refused to travel because of “ tour. security concerns. financial clout of the “The truth is no one can dare Latif hit out at Australia cap- country’s cricket ignore the money India is putting tain Ricky Ponting, who recently into the game. It is nothing but said that India was crucial for the authorities. greed,” Latif said. game. Pakistan coach , “I think Ponting should be hon- however, hailed England’s decision est enough to say that the cricket to return for the Test series against world needs India only because of India as a good sign for his country. its huge commercial market for the “I see it as a positive step,” et resuming in India. game,” Latif said. Intikhab said. “What happened in Mumbai “It has nothing to do with secu- “This is a boost for Pakistan Sao Paulo’s soccer player Hernanezk, left, receives the trophy for best player from soccer legend Edson was terrible, but if teams can play rity. and hopefully teams will tour Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, during the Craque Brasileirao 2008 soccer awards ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, in India why not in Pakistan? “It is terrible the way the Pakistan as well.” “All this talk about security con- Monday, Dec. 8, 2008. The ceremony awards the best players of the Brazilian soccer championship. (AP International Cricket Council and (C) The Telegraph Group, cerns by Australia and other teams Photo/Ricardo Moraes) other boards are insisting on crick- London, 2008