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ANDREW FLINTOFF has changed more than his hairstyle since the start of the England A tour of Zimbabwe, because the big man from Preston has returned to World Cup reckoning as virtually a new player.

England's selectors are due to narrow their World Cup squad down to 19 next weekend, so there is an incentive for Flintoff and Darren Maddy, who are the only two on this tour from the original list of 30, to catch the eye in the series of three one-day matches against Zimbabwe A, starting at Queens in Bulawayo today.

Flintoff, at 6ft 5in and just under 17st, has been dogged by inflamed joints in his lower back since the day he injured himself bowling on his Lancashire debut as a 17-year-old in 1995. For the first time since then he has managed to put the problem behind him, emerging as a realistic contender for the World Cup in England.

On tour he has been given a free bullet-head hairstyle thanks to room-mate Jason Lewry's clippers, and his face, red from the sun, bares the sign of some intense training sessions.

Flintoff was called up for two Tests against South Africa last summer - two England victories, despite his pair of ducks at Headingley - but the rest of his season was what he called ``a stinker''. He is hardly recognisable from the bloated 19-stone batsman, who sank close to despair wondering if he would make the England A selection, never mind the Ashes tour. ``Because of my back trouble, I couldn't train,'' he said.

His dedication on tour has won unreserved praise from England's management and a certain awe from his colleagues. His Bothamesque power with the bat and his stroke selection reached a high standard in the two five-day Tests against the Zimbabweans, and his seam bowling developed to something approaching full pace in Bulawayo.

An injection in his back at the start of the tour helped reduce the inflammation and Anne Brentnall, the England A physiotherapist, and Nigel Stockill, the tour's fitness adviser, channelled his bear-like strength into a fitness regime that was startling in its effectiveness.

Flintoff justified his nickname ``Fred'' - after Fred Flintstone, the cartoon caveman - effortlessly; his natural power could be measured by the ease with which he would throw people into the air and catch them, but strength alone could not guarantee a successful cricket career.

Flintoff said: ``On this tour, I've proved something to myself, that I can bat more than one way. I think I'm starting to mature as a batter. Although I want to hit boundaries all the time, it's not humanly possible, and you don't score runs when you're sat watching. I'm confident with my bowling now. The pain is not there any more. I get stiffness the morning after, but that's getting better.''

It will be interesting to see if Africa is the making of ``Fred'' Flintoff.