London, Feb 26 : English skipper Andrew Strauss has insisted that the absence of star all rounder Andrew Flintoff's from the crunch Fourth Test starting today will not damage England's victory chances.

The fact is England win more matches when Flintoff is not in the side and statistics back it, The Sun reported.

"Clearly, we'd love him in the side, but I don't think it affects our chances," Strauss said.

England has played 42 Tests since the Ashes triumph of 2005 - not including the abandonment in Antigua this month - and Flintoff has played in half.

His 21 appearances have brought three victories. But, in the 21 matches Freddie missed, England has won 10.

He has not hit a Test century since August 2005 and has just two five-wicket hauls in his 75 Tests.

When Strauss won three Tests as stand-in skipper in 2006, Flintoff was out injured. He has no victories with Freddie in the XI.

Strauss believes the rest of the team accepts more responsibility when Flintoff is not playing.

England are 1-0 down and must win the final two Tests against West Indies to clinch the series they were expected to secure at a canter.

Strauss said: "We've had to play without Fred quite a lot. If you rest all hopes on one man, sometimes the others don't take the responsibility they need to.

"We've found when Fred hasn't played other bowlers have performed and the batting unit has performed as well. Here it will be three seamers instead of four. That gives them more responsibility and that can get more out of them," he added. (ANI)