Melbourne: Australian officials have welcomed the prospect of helping Andrew Flintoff, the man who spearheaded England's Ashes success last year, prove his fitness ahead of this winter's series in domestic grade cricket.
Flintoff, who will captain England if fit for the series starting in November, is to undergo an ankle operation next week that should keep him out of action for three months.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) mooted the suggestion he and fellow injury victim Ashley Giles play in South Africa or grade cricket in Australia to prove their fitness for the Ashes series beginning on November 23 in Brisbane.
"I think there would be plenty of club cricketers relishing the opportunity to be Andrew Flintoff's team mate or on the other hand to play against him," Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Sutherland said there would be no need for formal contact with the ECB over Flintoff playing for an Australian club.
"This really isn't an issue for us, it's down to the state associations and the clubs to arrange. There is nothing in the regulations to stop this.
"It's happened before - Paul Collingwood played cricket here in Melbourne. I know this is a different case, it being the England captain, but there's no reason why he should be treated differently."
Talisman
Sutherland pointed out that Australian players such as Justin Langer and Cameron White played in England and that it would be a positive step if English players had an influence on the domestic game.
Flintoff was England's talisman as they regained the Ashes for the first time in 18 years during a frenetic summer in England in 2005.
The Lancastrian took 24 wickets and hit 402 runs as England won the famed urn and his part in a resurgent side has helped Australian grounds sell tickets at record-breaking speed for the five-match series later this year.
A Cricket Australia spokesman said the fact fans were snapping up tickets in record numbers meant it was the duty of organisers to help England make it as competitive a series as possible.
"Can you imagine some 18-year-old sharing the new ball with Andrew Flintoff? What a tremendous experience that would be for a kid," the spokesman said.
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