LEEDS (England), July 17: Andrew Flintoff will start a Test match for the first time in 18 months when England play South Africa on Friday.

England captain Michael Vaughan said on Thursday that the all-rounder will play in the second Test at Headingley after recovering from long-running ankle and side strain injuries.

Flintoff’s form in Lancashire’s recent domestic victory over Hampshire — including three wickets and scoring the winning runs — convinced the England selectors to recall him.

Vaughan is hoping Flintoff will have a similar impact on Friday.

“I know 18 months is a long time but who’s to say that Freddie [Flintoff] won’t come out and get a five-for and a hundred because that’s his style,” Vaughan said. “He’s like KP [Kevin Pietersen], one of these superstars who can do very special things. His bowling is exceptional. I’ve always said that.”

Flintoff’s selection became almost inevitable after the drawn first Test with the South Africans, which saw England squander a dominant position due to their weak bowling attack.

Having scored 593 for seven declared, England bowled South Africa out for 247 in their first innings and enforced the follow on. In the second innings, England’s bowlers took just one wicket on the fourth day.

With Vaughan’s main strike bowler Ryan Sidebottom struggling to overcome a back injury, and the rest of the attack misfiring, the South Africans eventually wiped out England’s lead on day five, ending 47 runs ahead on 393-3.

Flintoff, who has had four ankle operations in the past three years, is optimistic his fitness worries are behind him.

“I don’t think I’m at my best but I’m going in the right direction and showing signs of that,” Flintoff said.

If Flintoff can produce anything like the form he showed in the 2005 Ashes series, South Africa will be in trouble. Flintoff took 24 wickets and scored 402 runs at an average of 40.2 as England defeated Australia in a Test series for the first time in 18 years.

That performance guarantees Flintoff a hero’s welcome wherever he goes in England — even at Headingley, a traditionally unwelcoming ground for Lancashire players.

“As and when I do come on to bowl, I’m sure there might be a little bit of excitement here at Headingley,” Flintoff said.

Flintoff batted at six against the Australians, but Vaughan confirmed the all-rounder would drop to seven against South Africa and his inclusion means coach Peter Moores and captain Vaughan must decide who to leave out.

England has fielded an unchanged line-up for the last six Tests, a first in Test cricket history, winning four of them.

Paul Collingwood is favourite to make way, having followed a disappointing series against New Zealand with another low score (7) in the first Test.

If England opt to play with four bowlers, Stuart Broad could miss out, though with Flintoff’s injury record and Sidebottom’s lingering back problem that would appear unlikely, especially as Broad contributed 76 runs with the bat at Lord’s.

Chris Tremlett has also been called into the squad to give England another option, if Sidebottom is ruled out, while Darren Pattinson is also on standby for James Anderson who has a stiff back.

Vaughan was happy to confirm Flintoff would start but did not say who would make way for him.

“Headingley is a funny ground, because you have to get the conditions right and you have to read them well and the pitch well,” he said. “We’ll have to see the wicket and see who are the best bowlers for that pitch.”

South Africa has a worry over opener Neil McKenzie, who thwarted England’s attack at Lord’s with a painstaking innings of 138, but strained his groin in the process.

McKenzie could be replaced by uncapped 24-year-old Jean-Paul Duminy.

“We obviously have the one injury concern surrounding Neil McKenzie but we will make that decision on Friday morning,” South Africa coach Mickey Arthur said.

“He’s got a bit of a groin strain. He’ll run on Thursday and we’ll put him through a fitness test on Friday. We won’t leave any stone unturned in terms of his injury.”

Teams (from):

ENGLAND: Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Michael Vaughan (captain), Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Tim Ambrose, Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, Darren Pattinson.

SOUTH AFRICA: Graeme Smith (captain), Neil McKenzie, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, A.B. de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Jean-Paul Duminy.

Umpires: Daryl Harper (Australia) and Billy Bowden (New Zealand).

TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (England).

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand).—Agencies