Flintoff rushed back

Andrew Flintoff was rushed back into work today as England tried to find a miracle cure for their batting woes.

The inspirational all-rounder was written out of the entire NatWest triangular tournament because of an ankle injury that prevented him from running and bowling.

But an improvement in Flintoff 's condition, plus England's two heavy defeats this week, saw him being summoned to Headingley where he was due to play purely as a batsman in today's must-win floodlit match against the West Indies.

England were already contemplating changes after being bowled out for 147 by the same opposition on Sunday and then humbled for just 101 by New Zealand two days ago. But the decision to recall Flintoff showed how badly they have been rattled by two seven-wicket defeats.

"Recalling him as a batsman was something we always had as an option," said chairman of selectors David Graveney.

Meanwhile, advance tickets sales for the Twenty20 Cup, which starts its second season tomorrow, have topped 110,000.