Lancashire cricket manager Mike Watkinson feels Andrew Flintoff is bowling well enough to play for England as a bowler only.

Watkinson is delighted with the bowling form of the all-rounder, whose match figures of two for 53 against Somerset were scant reward for 24 overs in four spells in the LV County Championship game.

Flintoff, hoping to return for his country in next month's first Test, is still making his way back after a fourth operation on his left ankle last autumn.

But he looks right back to his best as a strike bowler and has earned rave reviews from pedigree opponents Marcus Trescothick and Justin Langer.

Watkinson, for one, appears to believe Flintoff is worth his Test place as a bowler alone.

"I don't disagree that 'Fred' would love some time in the middle ... but if you ask Justin Langer how he is bowling he'll pull his shirt up and show you his bruises to tell you," he said.

"Freddie would be in most teams I would pick as a bowler anyway.

"That's one thing that Mooresy [coach Peter Moores] and England's selectors will be looking at - what batting role do they want 'Freddie' to fulfil?

"If they want him to bat six he needs more cricket and more runs under his belt; if they want to bat him at nine or 10 then I think he could probably do that."

Meanwhile, England seamer James Anderson has been granted permission by the England and Wales Cricket Board to play in Lancashire's Friends Provident Trophy match against Scottish Saltires on Sunday after Sajid Mahmood was ruled out because of soreness.

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