We were happy with 78 - Flintoff

Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from England

CRICKET: England captain Andrew Flintoff said that he was glad his team did not have to chase any thing more than 78 to win the second Test against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on Sunday. "Coming in this morning we expected to chase a few more than 78.

It was a workmanlike performance and a professional approach that knocked them off," said Flintoff.."We know that Sri Lankans do keep fighting and their lower order has batted really well, with the likes of Vaas who has scored runs.

Fourth innings with Murali in the side you want to chase as very little as you can.

It would have been a concern if it were over 140-150. We would have been worried. Anything under 100 I was quite pleased," continued Flintoff.."It is not easy going when Murali is bowling as he is.

The new batters haven't seen a great deal of him. To be honest we should have got close to 350-360 in the first innings.

We lost the toss probably it was a bonus to get Sri Lanka on that wicket. It did a bit first up. We stuck to our attack and the bowlers bowled well," he said..Describing what a fine bowler Muralitharan is, Flintoff who played with him together at Lancashire said: "I've played with him and against him. One thing I noticed at Lancashire when I played with him is that he is always trying to improve and always trying to learn something new.

We played a few games where the batters were kicking him and in the next 2 1/2 hours he developed a flipper so they couldn't do it.."Murali is always trying to get better.

He is always trying to get one off on the batters. When you played him it just gets slightly easier but every ball is a real test. He is a problem so too are his off-spinners. He's got all the balls and he can do pretty much what he wants to with it.

It's how he uses them and the accuracy with which bowls.".On Malinga, Flintoff said: "He bowled with pace and with a slightly different action.

He catches batsmen straight on the hop to begin with. Having said that he is different and the ball is delivered from a different direction. He is obviously the quickest of the Sri Lankan bowlers. He is quite tricky when you face him for the first time.".

Describing his team's victory Flintoff said: "It's the first win of the summer in England. With a young and inexperienced side we have beat the Sri Lankans. It's a great feeling.".

Flintoff said injuries to key players had given the opportunity for young players like Liam Plunkett, Sajid Mahmood and Alistair Cook to put their hands up. He said the difference between the two sides was the innings played by Pietersen. "He came out there and probably played an innings that won't be repeated unless there is another one. He was fantastic to play the way he did against the likes of Murali. That was a fine effort," said Flintoff. "When Pietersen came in to bat I sat there with my mouth wide open.

He comes down the wicket and he is flicking his wrist to the leg side. There is the reverse sweep off Murali. For some of the shots he plays he's got a technique of his own. I've not seen anything like it. He is one of the most talented players I've ever played with. I am excited to watch and see Kevin over the next few years. He can be something in years to come where people start talking in the same breath as in the likes of Lara and Tendulkar," he said.