Flintoff backs England character

Flintoff insists England 'have all the ingredients of a successful side' Andrew Flintoff is confident England can come through the "huge test" of recovering from last week's thrashing by the West Indies in the second Test. The star all-rounder also insisted that despite rumours of off-field discord the spirit in the camp remained "good". "There's a Test match in three days' time and we've got to put a better performance in," he told BBC Sport. "It's a huge test of everyone's skill and character but it's one I'm sure we can come through." The former captain said England needed to pull together to try to win the remaining three Tests in the series. "The spirit's been good but maybe we need to draw on each other a little bit more," Flintoff said. "We have all the ingredients of a successful side and we have to put them all together. "That's going to be the test for people, when you go through something like that you still have to back yourself and that's going to be the big test of character. "You can talk about technique and work in the nets but it is all about how people respond to what's happened. It's very important we come back strong on Friday." On Monday England opener Alastair Cook claimed there was no need for radical change ahead of the second Test, which starts in Antigua on Friday. Cook, who was the first man dismissed as England were skittled for a humiliating 51 at Sabina Park, insisted: "We cannot act too hastily. The players are ultimately responsible, we've got to take it on the chin." England have limited options when it comes to changing to their batting line-up, with only Owais Shah in reserve. The current batting unit has come in for heavy criticism after it also collapsed in Adelaide during the 2006-07 Ashes tour to hand Australia victory, and was dismissed for just 81 against Sri Lanka in Galle last winter, but Cook denied that England's batsmen are too comfortable. "If you don't perform then you know what is going to happen," he said. "If it happens again, then things have to change. But those are three isolated incidents over three years, so it is not as though it is happening every week." The West Indies will make at least one change to their winning line-up from Kingston. Xavier Marshall has been dropped from the 14-man squad after his second ball duck with Lendl Simmons, who hit a stunning 282 against England for West Indies A, and Ryan Hinds in the frame to replace him.