Hopefully

Brett Lee, unlucky man, is out of the third Test - but what about Freddie Flintoff?

My household is divided. My partner, the renown Jo King, is convinced he will play in all the remaining Tests, because he is determined to win back the Ashes and set himself up for life by his Dunkirk, backs-to-the-wall, Horatio with his two mates on the bridge, last ditch, never-say-die, efforts.

I wish he would take a moment to rest. I did not like him playing at Lord's - where, he admits now, he was in "discomfort" and where, to my shame, he was man of the match.

I hope he is doing more to make sure of his fitness for the third match than strapping a machine from Outer Space to his knee every night as he mutters "hopefully" every 30 seconds.

He bowled at Lord's today and everyone watching his practice offered their own "hopeful" prayers.

The trouble is that such prayers are so common in sport I tend to yawn every time I hear the word.

Will he play? I don't know but if he does I trust and pray he will be properly fit and not just hopefully.