Flintoff pumps up England

England will use the taste of success they experienced in the Champions Trophy in September, where they reached the final, to push their bid to regain the Ashes, according to Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff, in an interview with the Sun, said it would be the "closest-fought series they've had in a while".

"Hopefully, by September, we shall have won the Ashes," he told the United Kingdom tabloid. "In the past 18 months, under Michael Vaughan's captaincy, we have improved to such an extent that we believe we can beat anybody."

Flintoff said Australia were a great side and deserved to be No. 1 because of their treatment of other teams. "We got the taste against them last year by beating them in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy and now we want those Ashes back," he said.

Returning to bowling for Lancashire after an ankle operation, Flintoff is ready for the two Tests against Bangladesh. He will be further rehabilitated in preparation for his first Test against Australia during the two one-day series before the Ashes begins at Lord's on July 21. "No matter what I have achieved before in my career, I know I shall get judged on what I do against the Aussies," he told the paper.