England coach Peter Moores expects all-rounder Andrew Flintoff to make a "huge difference" once he returns to the team.

Flintoff missed England's winter Test programme after undergoing a fourth operation on his troublesome ankle but is now back playing with Lancashire and trying to prove his fitness ahead of a possible England return in the Test series against New Zealand.

Moores told Sky Sports News: "Freddie is an all-rounder, one of the best in the world, if not the best in the world, so once Freddie is playing well he's going to get into that Test match team and make a huge difference."

Flintoff, 30, has so far made an encouraging, if not outstanding, start to the season with his county.

Moores added: "What's really promising at the moment is that he's pain-free, he's playing for Lancashire and he seems in a really good place.

"He's working extremely hard, he wants to play for England when he's playing well.

"We'll support him with that and we'll have to see how he goes over the next few weeks before we get to the Test match series with New Zealand."