ENGLAND all-rounder An-drew Flintoff may play just a batting role in Lancashire's next Frizzell County Championship match away to Worcestershire, starting on Wednesday.

"We will look at the situation tomorrow and take it from there," said Lancashire manager Mike Watkinson. "But if we have orders from on high not to play him then obviously we won't. He won't play any cricket before he is ready for it."

Watkinson is determined Flintoff should not be rushed back to full service before he has made a complete recovery from the heel operation he underwent 12 weeks ago.

"We are monitoring him on a day-to-day basis and at the moment he is not bowling flat out," said Wakinson.

"He is probably at 50 per cent and could push it beyond that, but there is no need to do that at this stage.

"We can accommodate him as a batter and when he starts bowling he will be a very useful asset."

When asked whether Flintoff's recovery is on schedule, Watkinson added: "If you said that being fit for the Ashes series is the target then he is ahead of schedule.

"Having spoken to Flintoff's fitness adviser, Dave Roberts, he should be fit to bowl to a reasonable level in a few weeks' time."