Flintoff: England players should follow Anderson's example

9:37am Friday 25th July 2008

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ANDREW Flintoff believes England should take a leaf out of Jimmy Anderson’s book if they are to get back into the Test Series with South Africa.

England are 1-0 down in the four-match series after being humbled at Headingley earlier this week.

However, Flintoff was impressed with the spirit his Lancashire team-mate Anderson showed when his team was up against it.

After bowling 53 overs in the drawn opening Test at Lord’s, Anderson bowled another 44 overs just days later at Headingley.

Anderson’s deserved better than his final figures of 3-136 – and Flintoff believes the attitude he showed should be replicated by the rest of the England team.

“Jimmy Anderson never gave up the ghost at any point and he was a real credit,” Flintoff said.

“He bowled 44 overs after playing the previous game at Lord’s, and he didn’t drop his pace. He was still beating the bat in his 44th over.

“He then went in as a nightwatchman and got knocked around a bit, but he stuck in there and showed the mental toughness that is needed going into next week.

“Jimmy is a class act. He came into the side as a young lad and had instant success but then didn’t find it too easy. But in the past 18 months we have seen Jimmy Anderson grow.

“We need the likes of him, Pietersen, Vaughan, Bell and myself to perform if we are to have any aspirations of winning the series.”

Flintoff batted at seven in the Headingley Test match and the all-rounder admits he is happy to bat anywhere as long as he is back in the team.

He added: “The only way I can push myself up the order is by scoring runs.”