The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : ‘Flintoff needs to modify his action’

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‘Flintoff needs to modify his action’

— Photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

DIFFICULT TIMES: Former Australian swing bowler Damien Fleming believes Andrew Flintoff’s injury problems may have a lot to do with his current bowling action.

London: Andrew Flintoff can turn into a “shock” bowler than a “stock” bowler by a cautious streamlining of his action to reduce injuries, says former Australian fast bowler Damien Fleming.

“You tend to lose a lot of potency when you’re injured and that’s been the test for ‘Freddie’ over the last 12 to 18 months,” Fleming said.

“However, he could turn into a ‘shock’ bowler rather than the stock bowler he has been for the past few years,” he added.

Flintoff recently resumed playing after a third operation on his left ankle and has since been named in England’s one-day and ICC World Twenty20 squads.

Fleming, who retired from cricket in 2003 to concentrate on coaching, said Flintoff’s front foot was pointing towards fine leg rather than at the batsmen, the knee twists as the top half of the body rotates and hips and shoulders need to be straighter towards the batsman.

“He needs to get his hips and knee straighter to the target, but it will be tough at 29. “Fast bowlers have a higher injury rate compared to other sports.

“I found when I was coaching (at Australia’s centre of excellence in Adelaide) bowlers seem to be able to change their top half of their action easier than their bottom half,” he was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

Fleming, however, warned any change in action could potentially negate Flintoff’s main strengths. — PTI

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