Andrew Flintoff's decision to forego a contract with England and set himself up as an elite cricket freelancer has provoked a fair amount of grumbling in the media, with words like "mercenary" and "snub" being bandied about all over the place.

But whether you consider Flintoff's decision ungrateful or not, consider for a moment whether it might not work out to England's advantage.

As others have said, there's nothing really new in Flintoff's decision to go it alone. Other cricketers have made themselves available as players for hire in different parts of the world over a season.

The difference here is that Flintoff has made it clear that he is still available to play for his country at one-day international and Twenty20 level ... and looking at the country's recent results, how they need him.

According to recent media reports, the thought of having such a talented and marketable cricketer as Flintoff in their ranks has already drawn interest from teams in Australia and South Africa.

Fitness permitting, he will be on the auction block for the Indian Premier League and as long as his knees hold up he could follow the sun, playing some games for England (he has his eye on returning for the tour of Bangladesh early next year) and more for cash-rich teams around the globe.

Is there anything wrong with what Flintoff is doing?

It's hard to think of an equivalent in another sport. David Beckham came to Europe to play a few months at AC Milan after his season in MLS was over. That was specifically to keep Beckham in condition to play for England, but Flintoff might make the same argument, as he looks to carry on until the 2011 World Cup.

While there may be dangers, won't playing in all these high-profile, high-pressure tournaments make him a more effective performer for his country? Might England even consider that they could do with more players taking the freelance route -- getting as much experience at the business end of matches around the world? 

Wouldn't that make them more effective performers when they pull on the England pyjamas?

PHOTO: Andrew Flintoff celebrates after dismissing Australia's Peter Siddle during the second Ashes test at Lord's, July 20, 2009. REUTERS/Kieran Doherty

The final grand slam tournament of the year, which begins on Monday at Flushing Meadows, will welcome the world's two highest ranked players in intimidating form.

Two Masters tournaments, the level below a grand slam, have been played this month with Murray triumphing in Montreal and Federer in Cincinnati. 

Rafa Nadal has struggled to recover from the knee injuries that kept him out of Wimbledon, while a supporting cast of Djokovic, Roddick and Del Potro does not look strong enough to challenge the dominating duo on their favoured New York hard courts.

Looking just at the top two, Federer has the edge. The Swiss won his most recent encounter with Murray, in the Cincinatti semi-finals, has won three of the past four grand slam tournaments. And, oh yes, he is the five time defending US Open champion.

On top of that, when the two met in the final last year Federer won at a stroll. He played beautiful tennis as he destroyed Murray 6-2 7-5 6-2. The first set of the match was telling. A nerveless Federer repeatedly held serve with ease, and waited for first-night errors from his opponent, a grand slam final debutant. They duly came in the sixth game. The Fed broke for 4-2 and never looked back.

So what hope can Murray cling to as he embarks on his quest this year? Well, to get to last year's final he had to beat the then world number one Nadal over five sets and two days -- by far the greatest triumph of his career to date. Even if he wasn't tired after that, and remember Murray is ultra-fit, a man who does sets of 400 metre sprints in the heat of Miami for fun, the mental effort would have been extraordinary. 

Then there is their head to head record, which Murray leads 6-3. The Fed is nearly six years older and has made it clear he feels uncomfortable playing against Murray's attritional style. And his wife Mirka has just had twins, with one of them called Charlene -- suggesting a serious lack of judgment on Roger's part (sorry Roger, only joking).

But who are we kidding?

Federer has an incredible power on court, and the ability to win the key points and games to relentlessly accumulate major titles. Only Nadal at his rampaging best has broken through his force-field, and even then in two nail-biting five-set finals at Wimbledon and in Australia.

A 16th grand slam awaits Roger Federer.

PHOTO: Roger Federer talks with Andy Murray after winning his fifth straight U.S. Open tennis title at Flushing Meadows in New York September 8, 2008. REUTERS/Kena Betancur

Heard the one about the English batsmen who just couldn't resist nibbling at balls way outside off stump? It is an all too common occurrence and is the main reason why England fell short of a good first innings total in the deciding Ashes test.

Of course, flashing away outside the off-stump isn't just a disease to afflict English batsmen, although the problem does appear to be more acute on these shores than any where else.

It's an epidemic that has spread with the invention and subsequent proliferation of one-day cricket, which encourages the batsman's need to dominate and unsettle the opposition's bowlers.

The difference in test cricket is that the bowler is not required by the laws to bowl such a tight line around the stumps and therefore has more weapons in his armoury.

Five of the eight dismals to fall on day one were through players playing loosely outside the off stump. Of the five two can be offered impunity.

Captain Andrew Strauss was undone by a ball which inexplicably held its line instead of swinging in to the left-hander.

And Alastair Cook was delivered a ball that was so close to off stump that had he left it he may well have been listening to the lugubrious sound of the death rattle milliseconds later.

In saying that, Cook's technique will always leave him more susceptible to nicking one from the right-hander bowling across his bows. Whereas Andrew Straus plays with a straight bat down the line of off stump, Cook plays with an open face and pushes out rather than down the pitch and therefore is guiding the ball directly to the gluttonous slip cordon.

He can learn a lot from his captain.

England's plight is exacerbated by the profligacy when it comes to going on and scoring big hundreds, just one in the series so far, which brings us to Ian Bell.

He was England's top scorer yesterday, yes, but he's now had 32 innings batting at number three for England and has yet to register a century and that includes playing against teams of far less calibre than Australia. It is not good enough and exposes what many see as a mental weakness.

Say what you like about Ravi Bopara, but he scored two centuries in his first two innings in that position.

England's bowlers will need to be on top of their game if they are to wrestle the initiative back their team's way.

PHOTO: Andrew Flintoff of England misses the ball during the fifth Ashes test cricket match against Australia at The Oval in London August 20, 2009. REUTERS/Toby Melville

England will be under huge pressure to make changes for the deciding Ashes test at the Oval and the middle order is the obvious place to start, with Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood contributing just 16 runs in six innings at Headingley.

So what should England do about it?

Possible replacements include Jonathan Trott, who was called into the squad at Headingley, Robert Key of Kent and even 39-year-old Mark Ramprakash as a one-off experiment.

Captain Andrew Strauss said he would be reluctant to make wholesale changes but Bopara, in particular, looks short of confidence in the crucial number three spot and it might be worth a gamble on Trott or Key in such a crucial game.

And Ramprakash? Is that just an idea for the romantics?

As for Australia, their selectors should be patting themselves on the back.

They recalled seamer Stuart Clark in place of spinner Nathan Hauritz in a horses-for-courses selection which was a stunning success.

The experienced Clark galvanized the rest of the attack with his opening spell on the first day, his accurate probing outswingers claiming three England wickets and tying down one end.

That inspired Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson, who had struggled previously in the series, and each claimed a five-wicket haul in the match. They will head into the deciding test high on confidence and with Brett Lee also likely to be available for selection Australia's seam bowling resources look healthy indeed.

FILE PHOTO: England's Mark Ramprakash watches his ball to safety on his way to a century during a game against a Board President's X1 in Hyderabad, November 22, 2001. At the close of play England were 297 for 9 and Ramprakash was out for 105. REUTERS/Darren Staples

Australia have far more limited options than England when they consider changes to their
battle-weary side for the fourth Ashes test starting on Friday at Headingley, with their main hope of fresh impetus resting on the fitness of Brett Lee.

England had the luxury of bringing in fresh blood on Tuesday, calling up fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom and uncapped batsman Jonathan Trott for the first time this series, while again putting Steve Harmison on standby in a 14-man squad.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting expects to be able to call on Lee for the first time this series, after the quick bowler missed the first three tests with a rib injury.

Seamer Stuart Clark could be another option, possibly at the expense of Peter Siddle but otherwise the skipper has little to juggle with ahead of a match they cannot afford to lose, with England already 1-0 up with two to play.

"We will keep a close eye on Brett and I would expect him to be able to bowl," Ponting said after the third test draw in Edgbaston. "We know what Stuart is capable of and we will have plenty to talk about."

Australia are again likely to be without first-choice wicket-keeper Brad Haddin again after he pulled out of the Edgbaston test with a finger injury but Ponting remained bullish.

"If we play our best cricket we will take some beating," he said.

PHOTO: Brett Lee reacts to the crowd as he delivers drinks during the fourth day of the third Ashes test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham, August 2, 2009. REUTERS/Darren Staples

In the end it wasn't about the two S's, Swann and swing, it came down to the two P's, patience and perseverance, as Australia's batsmen swept away England hopes of a 2-0 Ashes series lead by holding on for a draw at Edgbaston. The challenge for Australia and their batting line-up now is to perform like that in the first innings of a test to put pressure on England, and not just in the second when they need to save a game.

This match didn't get the denouement it deserved after the thrilling cricket played on Friday and Sunday, but mother nature can hold up her hand and take the blame for that. Just one more day's play could have provided an intriguing finish, but it wasn't to be.

In truth England's bowlers didn't bowl well enough, with Graeme Swann never quite touching the dizzy heights of Sunday night when he bowled a spellbinding over to Ricky Ponting, which eventually accounted for the great man's wicket.

Flintoff bowled with aggression but now looks so seriously hampered by his knee injury you begin to wonder whether the Headingley test, which begins on Friday, might be beyond him.

As in the first innings, Anderson's probing line and ability to swing the ball offered the home side the likeliest route to victory, but bewilderingly he was left under bowled by captain Andrew Strauss.

Most cause for concern will be the bowling form of Stuart Broad who, like Mitchell Johnson, appears to be shorn of confidence. Unlike Johnson, he is struggling to take wickets when he's out of form.

I'd stick with Broad. He's a good bowler learning his trade and too much time has been invested in him to dispense with him mid-series, in his first slump of form. It may place pressure on the rest of the bowling attack but his batting adds weight to a line-up that appears brittle without Pietersen.

So, the choice for Strauss and the selectors, if Andrew Flintoff is passed fit, will be whether to stick with Graham Onions, who bowled beautifully on Friday morning, bring in the horses-for-courses swing bowler Ryan Sidebottom, or recall the "daisy" (some days he does, some days he don't) Steve Harmison to add hare'em and scare'em fire power.

I'd stick with the same line-up. By all accounts Headingley pitches these days are flatter than in the past and they'll need the durability and youth of Anderson, Broad and Onions to take 20 wickets.

If Flintoff isn't fit, playing Harmisson to add variety would be the best bet.

Of concern to England coach Andy Flower will be that Australia have scored six centuries to England's one. Five of the top six heaviest scorers with the bat in the series so far are Australian. And four of the top five wicket takers are from the touring party.

What he can take heart from is that his side are still 1-0 up, meaning they have taken the wickets and scored runs when it mattered, and his team were the only side with a chance of winning this truncated match.

As for Australia. They'll look at those stats and wonder how on earth they trail in this series.

The 2009 vintage may not have the class of 2005, but roll on Friday is what I say and bring me more Ashes cricket.

PHOTO: Australia's Michael Clarke is congratulated by England's Andrew Flintoff after Clarke reached his century during the fifth day of the third Ashes Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, August 3, 2009. REUTERS/Philip Brown

Britain’s drug strategy is under the spotlight following the UK Drug Policy Commission’s (UKDPC) recommendation that there is too much energy spent on arresting drug dealers and not enough on reducing harm to communities.

Latest figures show that nearly 90,000 people were arrested in England and Wales for drug offences, with over one billion pounds spent on law enforcement, with £17.6 billion the estimated cost of the UK drug markets.

The report questions whether it is worth arresting a drug dealer if a more violent individual replaces him.

“Drug law enforcement is clearly not limited to the traditional role of arresting as many dealers as possible in anticipation of reducing supply,” said UKDPC chief executive Roger Howard.

“Drug markets will inevitably remain, and some enforcement agencies are beginning to prioritise their resources and efforts to curb the most harmful aspect of these.

“But to do this means having a much bigger picture of the harms being created and much better evaluation of the real impact and value for money of enforcement.”

What do you think of the UKDPC’s recommendations? Is the UK’s drug enforcement policy clever and nimble enough? Or is there a danger of the police going “softly, softly” on drug dealers by pursuing more innovative approaches?

If you like your shirts loud, your nicknames brash and nights out boisterous then look no further than the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, England, which is the venue for this year’s PDC darts world match play tournament.

The PDC roadshow has rolled into town for its annual bout of tungsten tossing, which sees the world’s top professional darts players joust it out for the title of world match play champion.

Match play is a straight race to win a required number of legs. Each leg requires the player to score 501 but finish on a double, and the winner must win by two clear legs.

For those of you familiar with the darting heavyweights it will come as no surprise that the title-holder is non other than the arrows colossus himself Phil “The Power” Taylor, 14 times world champion.

Taylor is to darts what Michael Jordan was to basketball -- a sporting giant -- whose skill and dexterity is almost peerless -- give or take the 18 stone in weight.

What he gives in pounds he gains in hand-eye co-ordination, as the dart is thrown with the accuracy of a laser guided missile.

Taylor recently broke the world record for a three dart average for an entire match setting a new standard of over 116. Tournament averages are usually around 100.

Think Roger Bannister’s four minute mile or Jim Hines running under 10 seconds for the 100 metres. Taylor doesn’t just break barriers, he smashes them.

The mountain that his opponents have to climb to beat him is akin to Everest, but just like the World’s rooftop, this man mountain is scalable and can be conquered, just ask James “the machine” Wade.

Wade took Taylor’s scalp in the final of the Premier League Darts in May, deposing the Power from his throne and claiming the crown he had worn since its inception in 2005.

Wade is also twice a finalist at the Winter Gardens, losing his first final in 2006 to Taylor but making his major breakthrough a year later by slaying Terry “the Bull” Jenkins to claim the first major title of a burgeoning career.

Wade isn’t the only pretender to Taylor’s throne. Never discount Raymond “Barney” Van Barneveld, a five time world champion himself, who brings his colourful army of Dutch supporters wherever he plays.

For an outside bet you can’t go too far wrong with three-time Canadian world champion John “Darth Maple” Part (he bounds on to the stage to the tune of the Imperial March from Star Wars, usually with Stormtroopers and once, bizarrely, a Wookie in toe), or Mervyn “the King” King, ranked number five in the world, who recently transferred over from the BDO darts championship (but that’s another story).

So, slap on your cheapest aftershave and your loudest shirt. The PDC World Match Play is underway.

PHOTO: Canada's John Part smiles with the World Darts Championship trophy after beating Britain's Kirk Shepherd in the final of the competition at Alexandra Palace in London January 1, 2008. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor

Rory McIlroy can win The Open Championship at Turnberry this weekend.

The bushy-haired 20-year old from Northern Ireland is playing only his second Open, and first as a professional. But he is such a talent that he is capable of pulling off the biggest win in a major championship since the 21-year old Tiger Woods ran off with The U.S. Masters in 1997.

Rory's youth should not hamper his chances. In fact it could encourage him. Only Tiger himself -- who only a lunatic would argue is not the greatest golfer who ever lived -- has a comparable early career record.  Tiger had just turned pro when he won the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational as a 20 year-old, but McIlroy was still a teenager when he secured his first victory as a professional: the high profile Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year.

Youthful prodigies are rare in golf. The Open's two-time defending champion Padraig Harrington did not even turn pro until he was 24. But if you watch Rory play it immediately becomes apparent why he has had so much success.

I was lucky enough to arrive at Wentworth Golf Club in south west London a few minutes before Rory was due to begin his 3rd round at the BMW PGA Championship.

The first shot I saw him hit, his drive at the Par 3 second, was unlike any that his older peers had attempted in the groups before him. The ball fizzed extraordinarily high, drawing in right to left over the greenside bunker and onto the pin. He made the birdie putt, and proceeded to go round in a 7-under par 65, including eight birdies. At the 18th, a severe dog-leg par 5, he was so confident he smashed his drive well over 300 yards and around the corner of the fairway. Afterwards he just turned to his caddy and grinned.

McIlroy came 5th at Wentworth, and later 10th at the rain-hit U.S. Open near New York. Last week he had a quiet level par tournament at The Scottish Open, which has helpfully moved him just outside the limelight. For The Open's two opening rounds he has drawn quiet South African Retief Goosen and American youngster Anthony Kim -- both stars but without the public baggage that would have come with teeing up alongside Tiger or British no. 1 Paul Casey.

Rory McIlroy won the Silver Medal for top amateur in 2007. This year it could be the Claret jug.

PHOTO: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland smiles as he stands on the driving range ahead of the British Open Golf Championship at the Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland, July 15, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake

I'm still not quite sure how, but somehow England escaped with a draw from the first Ashes Test against Australia, closing out the fifth day on 252-9, 13 runs ahead of the Aussie total and with no time left for the tourists to bat.

Talk about getting out of jail. Ricky Ponting must have thought he had the match won when England were five wickets down and still facing a massive 137-run deficit in the morning sessions.

Make no mistake about it, England were outplayed comprehensively but Paul Collingwood led a memorable  rearguard action and when he was gone, the rest of the tailenders finished the job.

The key now for England will be to learn from the mistakes that got them into this mess. Australia, while they'll be devastated at not winning this, must surely go into the second Test believing that they are the better side.

What's your prediction now? Can England still win this Ashes series?

PHOTO: England's Graeme Swann is hit by a bouncer bowled by Australia's Peter Siddle during the first Ashes cricket test in Cardiff, Wales July 12, 2009. REUTERS/Andrew Winning