Flintoff has a lean and hungry look

Andrew Flintoff linked up with England's one-day squad in Adelaide in the hope and belief that his recent fitness problems are behind him.

Flintoff has been undergoing extensive rehabilitation in England since before Christmas, when he was sent home after making a slower-than-expected recovery from a double hernia operation in September.

"I have just been on an intense four-week programme under the guidance of (ECB medical officer) Dr Peter Gregory and I spent anything from three to six hours a day training," Flintoff said.

"A range of building up the groin area, a lot of leg weights, a lot of running, rowing, cycling, cross training and running around hills in Bolton. It's been a hard few weeks but I am probably as fit as I have ever been."

"The time-spans we were talking about meant I should have been fit, it was just unfortunate that I took a bit longer to heal. I did all the rehab that was asked of me before I came out and I have done rehab since then. I just needed time to get fully fit.

"I have worked hard since I had the operation and looking forward now, everything else is behind me. I am probably as fit now as I have been for 12 months."

"My weight is the same I have just lost body fat. I have not put a pound on since the tour of New Zealand last year. A lot of it was to do with the series in India and New Zealand, bowling long spells.

"Before that I had never bowled those type of overs before. Also my diet is probably better and I have spent a lot more time down the gym. There was a spell when I was younger, between the age of 14 and 22 where my back was playing up so I didn't do a great deal of running because of that.

"Now I am on the treadmill, running outside and the back has been good for two years, touch wood."

Flintoff confessed to extreme frustration at missing the Ashes series, but now feels fit to challenge for a position in England's World Cup team after securing a place in England's 15-man squad.

"Before it was a case of being in pain and there wasn't a lot of confidence in my groin because of it, it was nowhere near the level it is now. I feel fully fit, have every confidence the groin is going to hold up and I am pain free.

"Bowling is such an unnatural action; if you talk to bowlers a lot of them have had hernias and I think with the amount of cricket played that it's inevitable from time to time that you are going to pick up injuries and hernia is quite a common one.

"I was obviously disappointed and frustrated not to be involved in the Ashes. But there was not a great deal I could do, I had to look forward and look at the World Cup and get fit for that.

"I have not played international cricket now since the Headingley Test match so that's four months gone and I am definitely fresh and raring to go."