Flintoff likely to play in one-dayers

David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors, believes Andrew Flintoff will be fit to play in the one-day series against India later this month.

Flintoff stepped up his return from ankle surgery by playing in Lancashire's Championship match against Sussex this week and Graveney expected to see him in action against India. Flintoff's contributions against Sussex so far have included a 34 off 36 balls in Lancashire's first innings and bowling four overs - off which he conceded just one run.

"It's great that he's back playing," Graveney told BBC Radio Four on Wednesday. "He's started to bowl in [the] nets and there's nothing that I've heard to the contrary that would prevent him from playing in the one-dayers towards the back end of the month. Hopefully he will available for that, and he has certainly indicated that will be the case."

Mike Watkinson, the Lancashire manager, also confirmed that Flintoff was progressing as per physiotherapist Dave Roberts' programme. He told Sportinglife.com, a British sports website, "He has done a little bit of bowling in the nets, and four overs is not a heavy workload. He just looked in good rhythm, he wasn't pinning his ears back and giving it the full whack, but he looked very smooth."

Flintoff missed the entire Test and one-day series against West Indies after he underwent a third operation to rectify his recurring ankle problem. He was also ruled out of the ongoing Test series against India but is on course to play the first ODI at the Rose Bowl on August 21.