England needs Flintoff to be back: Vaughan

England captain Michael Vaughan has made it clear he wants all-rounder Andrew Flintoff back in international cricket.

England captain Michael Vaughan has made it clear he wants star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff back in international cricket as soon as possible, ideally during the upcoming series against New Zealand.

He said dropped new-ball duo Stephen Harmison and Matthew Hoggard could force their way back into Test side while he himself was contemplating return to number 3 in batting order.

Flintoff, who is due to play for Lancashire in their County Championship opener against Surrey at The Oval on Wednesday, missed England8217;s pre-Christmas tour of Sri Lanka and their recent campaign in New Zealand as he recovered from a fourth operation on his left ankle.

Whether Flintoff8217;s troublesome joint can stand up to the rigours of the 30-year-old8217;s hard-charging approach to pace bowling remains to be seen.

Flintoff hasn8217;t played a Test since captaining England, in Vaughan8217;s injury-induced absence, in the climax of their 5-0 Ashes series thrashing by Australia in Sydney in January 2007 while his last one-day international was in September against India.

His return, and the attempts by Harmison and Hoggard to re-establish themselves at Test level, promise to help sustain interests in the early weeks of a Championship season in danger of being overshadowed completely by events in the inaugural Indian Premier League IPL, which starts on Friday.

Vaughan will be a keen follower of all-rounder Flintoff8217;s fortunes, having himself struggled with a potentially career-ending knee injury.

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8220;He has got three or four four-day games for Lancashire, so hopefully he will come through those with overs under his belt, runs by his name and give himself a good chance because we want him back,8221; Vaughan said of Flintoff.

8220;An England side with Freddie in is a better team.8221; 8220;He wants to be there,8221; added Vaughan. 8220;He is the only one who knows what his ankle feels like. 8220;He hasn8217;t bowled 18 to 20 overs in a day yet and had to go out and bowl five or six the next day yet, so hopefully he will get through that.

8220;We just want him right, whether that means he misses the first game, second game and comes back for the third. 8220;I just want him back fit and ready; whether it8217;s first or third, that will do me,8221; Vaughan added ahead of the first Test against New Zealand, which starts at Lord8217;s in a month8217;s time.

8220;It is so important you listen to your body and know yourself.8221;

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Turning to Yorkshire team-mate Hoggard, Vaughan said: 8220;With him you know he is going to try to take wickets over the next month to make it hard for the selectors.

8220;Harmy has been given a harder time and I wouldn8217;t want to be a county batsman over the next month having to face him because I think he has got a bit of a bee in his bonnet and a point to prove. 8220;That is exactly what I want. I certainly don8217;t think it is the end of their careers yet.8221;

Vaughan had a mediore tour of New Zealand with the bat, averaging under 21 in the three Tests, although England won the series 2-1.

But he now expects to swap places with Andrew Strauss, the Middlesex left-hander reverting to the opening berth where he made his name as a Test match batsman.

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8220;I wouldn8217;t say I would carry on opening for England, no. 8220;We will have to sit down with Peter Moores and the selectors. Straussy is at three at the minute 8211; he likes opening and I am at two and like batting at three 8211; so maybe that will be a little bit of a change.8221;