Fletcher concerned at burnout fear

Fletcher: 'I can't say to [Michael Vaughan] I only want Flintoff to bowl 12 overs in a day' © AFP

Ahead of England's tour to India, the England coach Duncan Fletcher has expressed concerns over the amount of cricket his players are faced with in the coming 18 months.

Fletcher was instrumental in introducing central contracts to the England set-up, after widespread calls that the amount of county cricket played was burdening England's Test players. Since their inception, senior England players have been protected from back-to-back county games; indeed, counties are fortunate if their Test stars turn out for them five times in a season.

Fletcher now feels international cricket might lead some of his players to exhaustion: England have just 50 days off international duty in the 12 months.

"Burnout doesn't happen overnight. Once it's happened it's too late," Fletcher told the News of the World. By the end of the 2007 World Cup we are going to have some very tired players then we go into home series against West Indies and India."

England leave for India on Sunday 12 for the second leg of their subcontinent winter before hosting Sri Lanka and Pakistan in another packed summer. And, before defending the Ashes in Australia in November, they head to India for the ICC Champions Trophy. Then there's the small matter of a World Cup, which is just 13 months away from starting.

England have already expressed concern about the workload of Andrew Flintoff, the team's cog and talisman.

"Michael Vaughan's job is to win games. I can't say to him I only want Flintoff to bowl 12 overs in a day," he added. If we can't get a wicket, who's he going to throw the ball to?"

England's performances in the last three World Cups have been dismal, but despite the tournament being the game's biggest showcase, Fletcher hinted that England's retaining of the Ashes is more important.

"Ultimately we set out to beat Australia in an Ashes series at home last year," he said. "For this England side there will be no better achievement - other than beating them away, which we'll try to do at the end of this year."