Try as we might to work an angle, there is only one place to start a preview for the second npower Test at Headingley between England and South Africa.

After six Tests without a change and 17 without Andrew Flintoff, England welcome back the all-rounder on Friday morning. The nation has leapt for its thesaurus - Symbolic! Iconic! Talismanic! - to acclaim the Lancastrian and while some fear that too much is expected, others feel owed a big performance or two. Amid the hysteria of 'easy money' in the IPL, Flintoff has quietly collected over $1,000,000 from the ECB without putting on his whites.

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Most observers - particularly those who saw his wretched early season batting for Lancashire - have predicted his return as one of four bowlers but it was always more likely that he was restored to number six. That has looked a notch too high throughout his career but best suits the balance of the team - a privilege few nations enjoy with genuine all-rounders so scarce - as well as ensuring that there is adequate cover should he suffer another ankle relapse. Michael Vaughan is also worried about his bowlers suffering back-to-back-Test fatigue after three largely fruitless days of toil in the Lord's outfield.

Flintoff will replace Paul Collingwood unless Ryan Sidebottom fails to recover from a back problem, though if the Yorkshireman's place were in serious jeopardy England ought to have retained Chris Tremlett, who falls out of the 12. There is universal sympathy for Collingwood because (a) he is such a bloody nice bloke and (b) umpire Billy Bowden denied him the chance to impress at Lord's with the purest of howlers. On form, though, the ODI captain ought to have been rested some time ago.

England's obsession with Flintoff is understandably a source of great amusement overseas but when fit and firing he is unique among the world's fast bowlers in his ability to either take wickets or tie up an end to order. His hands are almost as safe as Collingwood's at second slip and there will be an extra spring in the step of every home player and punter, at least until he comes in at 30/4 with Dale Steyn peppering yorkers at those giant feet.

If expectations should be tempered after so long out, it is also worth noting that Leeds is not a happy hunting ground for Flintoff. Among all Test venues in England, only at Trent Bridge has he worse batting and bowling averages, and on his first outing here 10 years ago he bagged a pair... against South Africa.

The home side will be encouraged by their excellent record at Headingley though - three wins on the spin and six in the last nine - and the conditions ought to suit local-lad-made-good Sidebottom and James Anderson, particularly if the latter retains the exemplary discipline he showed at Lord's. Even Monty Panesar has enjoyed himself in LS6 in the past but it is difficult to expect too much of Stuart Broad, who last weekend was as stylish as David Gower with the bat and as threatening with the ball.

One down in number, the batsmen are now under greater pressure to meet the standards they set at Lord's. England really don't want to see Flintoff without at least 250 (and better 330) on the board. Ian Bell must use 199 as a starting point rather than a destination and Alastair Cook has plenty to prove. It is easy to see Steyn haunting Vaughan all summer but in Kevin Pietersen the home team have a formidable advantage.

South Africa profess to be in the highest of spirits after saving a game that looked 'irretrievable' on Saturday. It was hardly one of the great performances, though: Sri Lanka did exactly the same thing two years ago and if it was a mistake to ask England to bat on such an easy first-day track then matters were not much more demanding on day five. Graeme Smith will not enjoy the same luxury here, a result pitch, and must improve his on-field leadership.

With only Jacques Kallis failing to make a century in the top five, runs ought not to be a problem though Headingley can prove problematic to those unfamiliar with English conditions. Only Kallis and Smith have serious county experience in the tourists' top seven and centurions Hashim Amla and Ashwell Prince must be wary of lateral movement. The latter's fighting spirit and former's wristy elegance bode well.

South Africa would certainly like to keep an unchanged top order but Neil McKenzie, personification of the term 'watchful' last weekend, is struggling with a groin injury. JP Duminy stands by to make his debut but Mickey Arthur is confident the veteran will be available.

Far more concerning for Smith and Arthur are the bowlers. Though not hyped quite to heady Flintoff-esque heights there was plenty of talk about Steyn in particular going into Lord's but he fulfilled the maxim that if you bowl fast and loose it simply gets to the boundary quicker. Morne Morkel enhanced his reputation but Makhaya Ntini looked ready for the knackers' yard five years after his historic ten-for. On that showing Ntini will not survive the series but the tourists have indicated he will hold off Andre Nel in the short term at least.

Paul Harris improved as the England innings went on and deserved his dismissal of Bell but the home team will not be any more fearful now than before seeing him in the flesh. Speaking of flesh, Kallis' paunch increasingly resembles that of a provincial golf club pro but he took nine wickets on his last visit to Leeds and may find his bowling well suited again. A heavy workload will not improve his chances with the bat, however.

Key Players

England: Unlike fellow Lancastrian Flintoff, Anderson ought to be well suited to Yorkshire even if his one previous experience - against the Saffers in 2003 - was a disappointment. If he can ally last weekend's accuracy with late swing then he could be the most penetrative bowler on either side.

South Africa: McKenzie, assuming fitness. The supposed weak link in the tourists' top five, if he continues to play as well then South Africa may just have too many runs for England over four Tests.

Prediction

Before the series we said South Africa 2-1 and would not change it. After dominating at Lord's England look value to win at a ground that really suits them. But don't rule out the Proteas over three Tests - in the past they have thrown away series leads here, but this time have truer self-belief and may turn the tables as they find their feet.

Last Five Head-to-Head

2008: 1st Test: Match drawn at Lord's, London.
2005: 5th Test: Match drawn at Supersport Park, Centurion.
2005: 4th Test: England won by 77 runs at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.
2005: 3rd Test: South Africa won by 196 runs at Newlands, Cape Town.
2004: 2nd Test: Match drawn at Kingsmead, Durban.

Likely Teams

England: Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Andrew Flintoff, Tim Ambrose, Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, James Anderson.

South Africa: Graeme Smith, Neil McKenzie, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Paul Harris, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn.

Dates: 18-22 July 11:00-13:00 local time (BST) 13.40-15.40 local time (BST) 16.00-18.00 local time (BST).

Umpires: Daryl Harper and Billy Bowden
Match Referees: Jeff Crowe and Ranjan Madugalle