Strauss Confirms Bell Will Bat at No. Four

Edgbaston: Andrew Strauss expects Andrew Flintoff to be fit for the third Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston on Thursday, and has confirmed that Ian Bell will bat at No. 4 in place of the injured Kevin Pietersen.

Flintoff, who retires from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes, continues to struggle with a chronic knee injury which has threatened to hasten his retirement. But Strauss has been encouraged by Flintoff's fitness and remains confident that England's allrounder will be fit enough to once again lead the attack.

Flintoff produced a typically talismanic final-day effort at Lord's last week, taking five wickets for just the third time in his career as England ended a 75-year wait to beat Australia at the home of cricket.

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South Africa vs Pakistan - 3rd ODI 4th Test - Australia v India - December 26-30, 23:30 GMT 1st Test - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan - December 26-30, 07:30 GMT 3rd ODI - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan at Harare Afghanistan won by 8 wickets (with 139 balls remaining) 3rd T20I - West Indies v Bangladesh at St Vincent Bangladesh won by 80 runs

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