Firing Flintoff key to igniting Ashes summer

England are confident the 27-year-old will be able to fulfil his all-round duties during the final match of the series at Centurion Park, though he will probably require a cortisone injection to see him through. But if it's decided surgery is the only long-term answer then it must make sense for Flintoff to skip the seven one-day internationals in this country, have an operation as soon as possible and begin the three to four month recovery period that should end with him fit before the Aussies arrive.

For some curious reason, Flintoff 's batting continues to blow hot and cold.

But his bowling is never anything less than absolutely essential to England and they simply cannot take any chances on him not being a fully functioning all-rounder during the Ashes. Captain Vaughan and coach Duncan Fletcher are forever saying they want to reduce Flintoff 's bowling workload and insist he's a batsman first.

But the problem is that even when Steve Harmison was taking wickets by the barrowload last year and even while Hoggard has been a real star out here, Flintoff 's contribution with the ball remained crucial.

He's only had one five-wicket haul in a Test innings throughout his career. But he picks up his twos and threes as regular as clockwork, breaks menacingpartnerships, keeps fast-scoring batsmen quiet during long spells and never seems to put anything less than 100 per cent effort into every delivery.

All of which is part of the problem when it comes to looking at the injuries - back, ankle and side - that have afflicted him.

Flintoff doesn't glide to the crease and flow through his action. He is an 'effort' bowler who, when you add his superb slip catching ability into the mix, would make England's best XI even if he was a No9 batsman.

But, of course, despite having barely blossomed at all this series in his 'main' occupation, the Lancastrian is Vaughan's No6 and his presence there balances the team. Just think what would have happened if Flintoff had not been fit to play in the Fourth Test, as seemed entirely possible when he strained his side in Cape Town.

England would either have had to play an extra batsman (leaving them with Hoggard, a struggling Harmison and the presently wayward Jimmy Anderson) in their pace attack or used another bowler and had the tail starting at No8. Instead, Flintoff worked his way through another 46 overs and took two vital wickets on Monday evening when even the inspired Hoggard needed a rest.

England cannot rely on his batting to the same extent over here. Last year, while scoring at least a half-century in eight consecutive Tests, Flintoff 's technique at the crease looked solid and mature.

In this series he has gone back to his bad old ways, playing some naive shots against top quality bowlers like Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini while failing to pass 20 in five of his seven innings. England will need him to do a lot better this summer. But, above all, they just need him fighting fit.