Thaindian News

London, Dec 6 (IANS) Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff feels the current Australian side is the weakest he has seen and wants his team to “payback” for the earlier defeats at the hands of the once “invincible” baggy-greens in the ongoing Ashes.

Flintoff, who was pivotal to England’s historic win in 2006 at home that in a way marked the country’s resurgence in the centenary old Ashes battle, said the English must take advantage of Australia’s feeble bowling attack and hand them a crushing defeat.

The all-rounder retired from the game after playing the last Ashes Test at the Oval last year.

“This is as low as I have ever seen the Aussies as a team,” Flintoff wrote in his column for News Of The World.

“I grew up watching them beat us year after year and then I played against some unbelievable sides.

“But they do not have the bowlers now, and England must hammer home their advantage.

“Andrew Strauss’s men have to do to Australia what they did to us for so many years. This is payback time for all those years of hurt.”

Flintoff captained the England side which suffered a humiliating 0-5 defeat to the Aussies the last time they toured. And Monday he did not miss the opportunity to have a crack at Australian captain Ricky Ponting.

“I get the impression Ricky is beginning to feel the pressure as captain, and I am not surprised,” Flintoff wrote.

“Captaincy is a tough, lonely place to be at times like this and Ponting will be hurting.

“He will not give anything away publicly, but he is a proud man and this will be getting to him.

“He has got limited resources but I have got no sympathy, I am afraid. For years he had incredible bowlers to call on and life was easy.