Flintoff must share the blame for latest setback

Simon Wilde writes in the Sunday Times that the latest injury shows Andrew Flintoff is no longer fit for regular Test cricket, and says the main purpose of central contracts - to manage the workloads of the most prized players - has been destroyed by the financial muscle of the IPL.

Why Flintoff should be paid a basic retainer of nearly £200,000 when he is no longer putting England first is a moot point. The same argument applies to the likes of Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood, except that as batsmen they are far less likely to suffer injuries and need less protecting.