Edgbaston surface is 'like jelly', says groundsman ahead of third Test

Published on Thursday 23 July 2009 22:49

THE Edgbaston groundsman has revealed his concerns over the state of the pitch ahead of next week's third Ashes Test.

With the series poised at 1-0 all eyes are on the next instalment in Birmingham, but Steve Rouse says inclement weather has left the playing surface looking "like jelly".

Forecasts between now and Thursday's scheduled first day offer little cause for optimism and Rouse acknowledges his team face a battle they may not win to prepare a wicket fit for five days.

"It's a nightmare," an honest Rouse told the BBC. "We've had two actual dry days in the last 10 and the wicket is like jelly.

"It has to be ready a day before and I've got no chance of getting it solid, not with the weather coming in."

Meanwhile, Ashes match-winner Andrew Flintoff will only play at Edgbaston if England are 100 per cent confident of him getting through the full five days at full capacity.

Flintoff, 31, overcame the effects of his right knee injury to claim the man-of-the-match award in the 115-run Lord's victory over Australia last week.

Three injections in the troublesome joint helped him retain his hostility with the ball throughout the contest and his rampaging spell on the fifth morning sealed the result.

He has been sore in the aftermath, however, and is currently resting up in a bid to make next Thursday's third match.

Flintoff conveyed his dedication to getting through the entire campaign before retiring from Test cricket only last week, and says he will play through the pain, but neither he nor the management will put the good of the team in jeopardy.

"I don't think those sort of decisions take an incredible amount of strength," said coach Andy Flower. "If guys are fit enough to get through and contribute to winning Test matches then they'll be selected.

"If they're not it's not a tough decision to make, you just don't select him."

This has become Flintoff's farewell series but it added to the piquancy of the occasion at Lord's, where he claimed only his third five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

"We know what a significant contribution his was," Flower reflected. "I think one of his main contributions to us over the five days was giving the side confidence and belief.

"Certainly with him leading the attack in that last innings, it gave us the belief we'd bowl them out."

Opening batsman Alastair Cook acknowledged the impact of Flintoff's performance as he pounded into the crease for one of his final spells in the Test arena.

"He is a whole-hearted cricketer and the decision (to retire) has been made for him," Cook told Essex's official website.

"He had a fantastic game at Lord's and hopefully over the next few days he will recover well and bowl at the same sort of pace at Edgbaston."

England will already be without their premier batsman Kevin Pietersen for the final three matches of the series, with Warwickshire's Ian Bell primed to fill in on his home ground next week.

"He's our best batter," Cook added, of Pietersen. "He can play match-winning innings and take the game away from the opposition very quickly.

"He will be a huge loss but there is the chance for someone else to come in and fill his shoes. He has not scored a huge amount of runs in this series but we will miss the calibre of player he is."

Brett Lee is ever more unlikely to feature in next week's Test after being ruled out of Australia's tour match against Northamptonshire.

Pace spearhead Lee has been out of the equation so far in this summer's series, since injuring his side in Australia's final warm-up match against the England Lions at Worcester at the start of this month.

The problem has steadfastly refused to clear up, and it was no surprise to see Lee restricted to peripheral stretching and jogging exercises at the County Ground yesterday morning while his team-mates prepared in earnest in the nets to face their hosts in a three-day match starting today.