Cricket: Flintoff emerges as form horse

TWO MATTERS above all are beginning to dominate the final approach to the 1999 World Cup, apart from the question of how much money there is to be made, since the worship of mammon is now as integral to big-time cricket as adherence to playing across the line.

The first concern is about the England squad's form, the second about whether the weather will allow them or anybody else to demonstrate it. Will either, or both, peak too soon?

Naturally, as is the way with these things, it will come down to what happens on the day, but precedent is always a handy guide and this shows that, in at least one of the cases, those behind the selection may have got it right. The 15 players may or not be the right ones given recent displays but, contrary to perception, 14 May to 20 June is probably exactly the right period to be holding the tournament in this country.

To take the form of the squad members first. Ian Botham, whose opinions on these issues should never be discarded, said last week that none of them ought to be playing for their counties. It was stupid, he said, to risk someone picking up a strain and they should have gone away together for five or six weeks for a spot of bonding.

This was all pertinent, especially as England (beginning at Canterbury on Friday) and all the other teams have three warm-up games before the competition starts. Botham also pointed out that "form is difficult to judge at this time of year, which", a brief examination of the figures shows, may be jolly good news.

Alec Stewart, the captain, has been out of form but has had only two innings since the English season started. He made six in the Championship and 27 in the National League (NL), so may be saving it.

Nick Knight, the blazing opener crucial to England's success, has been out of sorts for a while. A single one-day innings brought him 22 while the best that can be said of his Championship form is that he has improved every time with scores of 1, 2 and 5.

Graeme Hick, surely to bat at No 3, had made 23 and 26 but on Friday hit 89, as though beginning the ascent to the summit and timing it right.

Graham Thorpe, bad back at last mended, is another who has been easing himself in carefully. A top score of 44 in the NL has been complemented by first-class innings of 4, 32 and a sparkling 138 yesterday.

Neil Fairbrother, who did not play for Lancashire against Leicestershire this week precisely because he wanted to guard against damaging his delicate hamstrings, has had only one innings. He made nought.

Andrew Flintoff is the youngest squad member and the form horse. Is it inexperience, is he using up all his runs and taking all his wickets now? Probably not, silly. After making his slaughterous 143 from 66 balls and taking three for 60 in the NL, he had Championship innings of 86 and 1 with bowling figures of 0 for 48.

Mark Ealham will be essential in England's cause as the late middle-order all-rounder. He is in good shape with NL figures of 36 and 0 for 24 followed, in the Championship, by innings of 2 and 88 and a return of 4 for 75.

Robert Croft scored 53 in the NL and had figures of 8-0-29-1 while scoring a duck in his first Championship match but then securing his first five-wicket haul for two years.

Adam Hollioake needed runs and, after innings of nought, seven and 12, struck 96 at Northampton which will help his confidence as long as he did not strain himself getting it. His NL bowling figures are 2 for 33 and 3 for 40.

Darren Gough has, thankfully, scored a few runs, and even more thankfully did not get injured, while taking 6 for 78 in Yorkshire's first Championship match and bowling six overs for 18 in the NL.

Alan Mullally had one innings in which, surprise, surprise, he made a duck and bowled in his first Championship match taking 2 for 52 and 1 for 37, looking good.

Vince Wells has had NL innings of 5 and 44, and a Championship 4. His bowling has brought him 1 for 14 and 2 for 48.

Nasser Hussain started slowly like almost everybody else with scores of 26 and 7 but spent some valuable time at the crease on Friday with 59.

Angus Fraser has been taking familiar advantage of the conditions. His NL return is 4 for 60 in 17.5 overs and he has a more parsimonious 4 for 53 in 35 first-class overs with 15 maidens.

Ian Austin, who withdrew from Lancashire's match in the week with a slight pull, has had one NL spell of 0 for 48, not quite confirming the spring prowess by which the selectors have set much store.

Chris Lewis, whom Stewart pleaded to have in the squad, has taken 4 for 108 in 38 Championship overs and had scores of 139, 108 and 37. Any injuries to anybody and the nod could yet go in his direction.

As for the weather, the Met Office statistics are clinching. Those who wanted the competition in July and August were wrong.

Average rainfall returns for:

London - 12 days of rain; 49mm total; one day above 10mm. August 11 days, 54mm, 1.5 days above 10mm.

Manchester - May 14 days, 56mm total; 1.2 days above 10mm. August 15 days; 79mm total; 2.3 days above 10mm.

Birmingham - May 14 days; 54mm total; 1.3 days above 10mm. August 13 days; 67mm total; 1.7days above 10mm.

All figures increase correspondingly in June and July. There are also more sunshine hours in May and June than in July and August. "The organisers have chosen the the right months for the tournament, though nothing can be taken for granted," a Met Office spokesman said. "It rains on more days in August and there are heavier showers. We're away from the worst." He would not comment on the team.

The England and Wales Cricket Board had a chance to prove how cunning their plans are. They declined. "Other countries' domestic seasons were taken into account as was Wimbledon and other sporting events," said a spokesman. "The weather didn't really count." Research, you can't beat it.