London, March 30 (IANS) England are hoping that their two star cricketers -- Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff -- will be fit for Friday's decisive fifth one-day international against West Indies in St Lucia.
Pietersen suffered a back spasm during England's nine-wicket victory in Sunday's rain-affected fourth match in Barbados, which levelled the series at 2-2 while Flintoff injured his thumb.
'He (Pietersen) will have to work on it but we are very hopeful he will be fine for Friday,' England captain Andrew Strauss was quoted as saying in the Guardian.
Flintoff has had an ultra-sound scan on his thumb, which he injured when trying to take a difficult caught-and-bowled chance. 'It's very badly bruised but hopefully if it's just bruising he will be ok for Friday,' said Strauss. 'We will see how he reacts to treatment over the next 48 hours or so.'
Strauss also played down Pietersen's remarks in a newspaper interview last week that he was at the 'end of his tether' and wanted to go home.
'KP knows it's an England tour and we all stick at it together,' Strauss said. 'As I said, he has been nothing but supportive on this tour and very professional with the way he has gone about his business.
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