Monday, March 30, 2009

Pietersen & Flintoff await scans

Andrew Flintoff (left) and Kevin Pietersen
Flintoff (left) and Pietersen have endured gruelling winters

Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff have remained in Barbados for scans on injuries before the deciding one-day international in St Lucia on Friday.

Pietersen suffered a back spasm during the nine-wicket win at the Kensington Oval on Sunday, while all-rounder Flintoff injured his left thumb.

An ultra-sound on the thumb confirmed no fracture, but he will be sent for further scans if it does not improve.

The rest of England's squad flew to St Lucia after Sunday's match.

West Indies have been forced into one change to their squad after left-arm spinner Nikita Miller was withdrawn with a side strain.

Miller suffered the injury while batting on Sunday and has been replaced by fellow slow left-armer Sulieman Benn.

We'll go into Friday's game with a lot of confidence knowing we're up and we can beat these guys

Dimitri Mascarenhas

Victory for England in the fifth ODI would be a welcome fillip for Andrew Strauss's side, who have endured a miserable few months, first in India, then in the Caribbean.

England had not registered a victory before beating the Windies in the opening ODI, but lost the second match by 21 runs before being skittled for 117 in the third en route to an eight-wicket defeat.

However, Strauss hit a blistering 79 not out and Dimitri Mascarenhas took 3-26 as England won the fourth match to set up the rubber.

Hampshire all-rounder Mascarenhas recognises the final match as a big opportunity for England to salvage something from their winter.

"It was a pretty humiliating loss [on Friday], we got absolutely pumped," said Mascarenhas, who was hit for 24 in one over by Chris Gayle.

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"It hasn't been the best of winters for the England cricket team as yet, but we've got a really huge chance on Friday to turn that right around and come away with a series win in the West Indies, which would be a great effort.

"We've got four or five days now to get our heads around what's required in the next game.

"There might be different conditions and all those sorts of things are a factor, but we'll go into that game with a lot of confidence knowing we're up and we can beat these guys."

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