As the Test series between England and South Africa gets underway tomorrow, there will be almost as much media focus on one of the net bowlers as there will be on those out on the field of play.
The pretty clear assumption that Andrew Flintoff is likely to return to the England side for the second Test is, however, more of a burden for England’s players than it is for South Africa’s.
Graeme Smith won’t care – he’ll be trying too hard to out-psyche Kevin Pietersen. Dale Steyn won’t care, as he is still metaphorically on fire. Andre Nel is too crazy to realise what’s going on most of the time so he won’t care either.
But Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell might be looking a little nervously over their shoulders, as might Jimmy Anderson, whatever he says in public.
