Flintoff unable to bowl in Sri Lanka

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will fly to Sri Lanka next week for the one-day series - but admits that he is not yet ready to bowl.

The big Lancastrian has suffered a history of back problems and so has altered his bowling action to try to ease the pressure on his back.

But the 23-year-old said: "It's going to be quite a slow process. It doesn't sound like a big thing, changing the position of my feet. But when you have been doing something all your life it takes a lot to change it.

"I've just started doing some walk-throughs this week and hopefully I can use the nets in Sri Lanka for rehabilitation and then get going when I come back to Lancashire."

Former Wigan rugby league star Steve Hampson has put Flintoff through a rigorous training schedule since returning from Pakistan in December.

"I've had three months of pain," said Flintoff. "I'm really looking forward to playing some cricket again after all the training I have done."

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