Andrew Flintoff

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Andrew Flintoff
England
Personal information
Full name	Andrew Flintoff
Nickname	Freddie
Born	6 December 1977 (1977-12-06)
	Preston, England
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Role	All-rounder
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right-arm fast
International information
Test debut ( cap 591)	23 July 1998: v South Africa
Last Test	2 January 2007: v Australia
ODI debut ( cap 154)	7 April 1999: v Pakistan
Last ODI	19 September 2007: v India
ODI shirt no.	11
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1995–present	Lancashire
Career statistics
	Tests	ODIs	FC	LA
Matches	67	127	163	265
Runs scored	3381	3090	8343	6292
Batting average	32.50	31.53	34.90	29.53
100s/50s	5/24	3/16	15/49	6/32
Top score	167	123	167	143
Balls bowled	12562	5026	19182	8692
Wickets	197	146	297	262
Bowling average	32.02	25.10	31.82	23.03
5 wickets in innings	2	1	3	0
10 wickets in match	0	n/a	0	n/a
Best bowling	5/58	5/56	5/24	4/11
Catches/ stumpings	44/–	41/–	168/–	99/–
As of 9 September 2007 Source: cricketarchive.com

Andrew Flintoff, MBE, (born 6 December 1977, Preston, Lancashire) is a cricketer who plays for Lancashire and England. A tall (6' 4") fast bowler, aggressive batsman and fine fielder, he is perceived by some to be one of the few genuine all-rounders in the international game at the present time. His nickname "Freddie" or "Fred" comes from the similarity between his surname and that of Fred Flintstone. Since his debut in 1998, Flintoff has become an integral player, and has both captained and vice-captained the team. He has been plagued with ankle injuries due to his bowling action, and in late 2007 a fourth operation took him out of cricket until summer 2008.

Professional career

Early years: Criticism, injury and fitness troubles

Flintoff was captain of the England Under-19 team for their "Test" match tour to Pakistan in 1996/7 and at home against Zimbabwe in 1997. Though he made his Test match debut for England in 1998 against South Africa, his struggle to make the grade at county level continued, he found form only intermittently, though often explosively when he did so. In 2000 he hit 135 not out in the Quarter-finals of the Natwest Trophy against Surrey, which David Gower described as "the most awesome innings we are ever going to see on a cricket field". In the same year England's management made clear they were unhappy with his fitness and weight, Flintoff responded to his critics with 42 not out in a one day game against Zimbabwe on his home ground of Old Trafford, forming an explosive second wicket stand with Graeme Hick; as he collected the Man of the Match award he remarked his performance was "not bad for a fat lad". Though he lost his England place during 2001, he remodelled his bowling action and he gained a place on the 2001-02 tour to India. Though he hit possibly his worst international batting form during the Test series, frustrating him to the point that he broke down in tears in the dressing room at one stage, he later saw the tour as a turning point in his career, specifically the crucial final one-day match. Entrusted with bowling the final over with India needing 11 to win, he ran out Anil Kumble and bowled Javagal Srinath with successive balls to win the match, taking off his shirt in celebration, through both joy and personal relief.

Improved consistency, step-up to key international player

In 2002 he scored his maiden Test century. By 2003, a newer, fitter Flintoff started to justify the comparisons with Botham. Up to the end of 2002, he had averaged just 19 with the bat and 47 with the ball; from 2003 to the end of the 2005 Ashes series, the corresponding figures were 43 and 28. In the summer of 2003 he scored a century and three fifties in the 5 Test series against South Africa at home, and continued to excel on the tour of the West Indies in March and April 2004, taking five wickets in the Test in Barbados, and scoring a century in Antigua. In early 2004 he was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year, having failed to make Wisden's top 40 list in 2002.

Although injury prevented him from bowling, he was called into the England squad for the 2004 Nat West One Day International Series against New Zealand and the West Indies as a specialist batsman, scoring two consecutive centuries in the series and hitting seven sixes in one innings.

He matched this haul in the Second Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston in July, hitting a first-class best figure of 167. Over the course of England's record-breaking summer, he hit a half-century in all seven victorious Tests against New Zealand and the West Indies. On returning to the one-day game as an all-rounder in September he fell agonising short of a third one-day century, caught on 99 against India, though he went on to hit a further century in the ICC Champions Trophy pool match against Sri Lanka two weeks later. At the end of the season he was named as the inaugural winner of the ICC Award for one-day player of the year, and the Professional Cricketers' Association player of the year. He also became a father for the first time when his fiancée Rachael Wools gave birth to Holly on 6 September. They now have a second child, Corey, who was born during the series in India in 2006. Freddie briefly returned home from the tour to see his son for the first time and did not miss any matches in the process.

2005: Ashes winner

Flintoff during practice session

Following the Test series in South Africa in December 2004 and January 2005, Flintoff flew home for surgery on his left ankle, leading to worries he might not regain fitness in time for The Ashes. In fact, following a rehabilitation programme of swimming and hill-walking, he recovered ahead of schedule and was able to return to action for Lancashire in April.

In the Second Test against Australia at Edgbaston in August 2005, he broke Ian Botham's 1981 record of six sixes in an Ashes Test Match with five in the first innings, and a further four in the second innings, 141 runs in total. In the same game he took a total of 7 wickets (across both innings), including the wickets of Langer and Ponting in his first over in Australia's run-chase. He managed all this despite a shoulder injury early in the second innings. England won the game by the narrowest of margins - just 2 runs, and saved their hopes of regaining the Ashes. Flintoff was named 'Man of the Match' and captain Michael Vaughan subsequently dubbed the match "Fred's Test" in honour of his achievement.

Flintoff scored a century during England's crucial win at Trent Bridge. He took 5 wickets on the fourth day of the final test match, enabling England to go off for bad light and helping them to eventually secure a draw and regain the Ashes.

For his achievements throughout the 2005 Ashes series, he was named as "Man of the Series" by Australian coach, John Buchanan. His achievement also won him the inaugural Compton-Miller Medal. He was also awarded the Freedom of the City of Preston.

In October 2005, Flintoff shared the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC player of the year award with Jacques Kallis of South Africa. In December 2005, Flintoff was crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2005, the first cricketer since Botham in 1981. In the New Year's Honours List for 2006, Flintoff was appointed an MBE for his role in the successful Ashes side. In January 2006, Flintoff was presented with Freedom of the City award for Preston, Lancashire. The award was presented to Flintoff by the Mayor of Preston. Other recipients of the award include Sir Tom Finney and Nick Park. In April 2006, he was named Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World.

England captaincy

Flintoff bowls in the nets at Adelaide Oval

In February 2006, following England captain Michael Vaughan and vice-captain Marcus Trescothick becoming unavailable for the first Test match against India, Flintoff was named captain of the England team and subsequently announced that he would be staying in India for the entire Test series, although he and his wife were expecting their second child. His wife gave birth to a son, Corey, shortly before the second Test on 9 March.

On the field, Flintoff was seen as a great success during the drawn series with India, with a 212-run victory in Mumbai. His contributions with both bat and ball ensured that he was named as the player of the series, with many commentators seeing Flintoff as someone who not only worked better under the responsibility but was also viewed as a great influence of an inexperienced side, which included many debutants, such as Alastair Cook, Owais Shah and Monty Panesar. Flintoff amassed four fifties in the series, and took 11 wickets, on unfriendly surfaces for seamers. Flintoff continued to captain England during the seven ODIs in India, although he was rested for two matches.

However, following a recurrence of his long-term ankle problem in May 2006, he missed both the ODI series against Sri Lanka, and the first Test against Pakistan. It was later announced in July that Flintoff's rehabiltation had not been sufficient to quell the injury, and that further surgery would be required. He was thus ruled out for the entire series against Pakistan. Despite injury concerns, Flintoff was later named for the ICC Champions Trophy, where he played as a specialist batsman, not as an all-rounder.

2006-07 Ashes series

Flintoff bowling against Australia in The Ashes series

After his previous stint as captain in the Test series against India, Flintoff returned as captain of the England team for the eagerly anticipated 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia. The series turned out to be a humiliating one for Flintoff, leading his side to five straight losses and thus losing the Ashes after having held them for the shortest time in history. In addition, he presided over England's worst ever defeat in an Ashes series, equalling the 1921 whitewash at the hands of the Warwick Armstrong-led Australian team in the wake of WWI.

Flintoff's own play in the 2006-07 series, both bowling and at the crease, has been generally deemed disappointing. He made only two scores over 50 in the series, his best bowling figures were 4/99 in the first innings of the First Test in Brisbane, and he failed to get 5 wickets in a match. Flintoff played only one first-class game in the lead up to the series. He was initially undone by Australia's excellent seam bowling but his batting improved throughout the series as he got more match practice. A persistent ankle injury prevented Flintoff from bowling long spells at full pace and Australia's batsmen took advantage of this. According to Nasser Hussain during the tour he also had three or four warnings for inappropriate behaviour and binge drinking, including arriving hungover for a training session.

Flintoff also captained England for several of the subsequent 2006-07 Commonwealth Bank Series One Day International matches. Michael Vaughan's return from knee surgery was cut short by a hamstring injury and he was only able to play two matches, leaving Flintoff in charge for the remaining games. England qualified in the last game of eight group matches for the best-of-three finals against Australia, but reversed their poor form on tour with a 2-0 series win in the finals.

Flintoff contributed significantly with the ball in both matches, taking three wickets in the first match and allowing only 10 runs off 5 overs in the second as Australia chased a reduced total in a rain-hit match.

2007 Cricket World Cup

With Michael Vaughan returning from injury for the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies, Flintoff was replaced as captain but appointed England's vice-captain.

In the opening match of the tournament against New Zealand Flintoff was out first ball in England's innings and failed to take a wicket, although his bowling was very economical conceding only 17 runs in 8 overs, and he took a stunning one-handed catch at slip to dismiss Ross Taylor for a duck. On the evening of England's defeat Flintoff - along with some other players and coaches from the England squad - indulged in some late night drinking in a night club, only two days before their vital match against Canada . In the early hours of the morning he was reported as having to be rescued after falling off a pedalo - this quickly became known in the media as the "Fredalo" incident (a portmanteau of "Freddie" and "pedalo"). Flintoff and the others involved were reprimanded and fined and with Flintoff being stripped of the vice-captaincy and, in addition, he was suspended for the match against Canada. It was revealed by England coach Duncan Fletcher that Flintoff had had a number of previous warnings about his behaviour. Flintoff has since issued a public apology.

Flintoff returned to the England team for the last group match against Kenya, taking two wickets. In the Super 8 matches, Flintoff often excelled with the ball but failed to recover his batting form. Against Ireland he took 4-43 and scored 43 runs; against Sri Lanka he took 3-35 but was out for 2 and against Australia he took 1-35 but was out for 4. In the next match against Bangladesh Flintoff took 1-38 in 8 overs and scored 23 runs off 21 balls. Ultimately, he failed to influence an ailing English side and had a poor tournament. Michael Vaughan later commented that Flintoff's pedalo antics had adversely affected team morale.

2007 International season

Flintoff returned for a couple of games with Lancashire, in preparation for the West Indies tour of England but he reinjured his ankle and was ruled out for the first Test which started on 17th May 2007. Having undergone another operation on the troublesome ankle, he missed the whole Test and one-day series against the West Indies, and was also ruled out for the subsequent Test series with India. Following several games for Lancashire, Flintoff returned for England in the first of seven ODIs against India on 21st August 2007. He bowled 7 overs and ended with figures of 1 for 12 in England's 104 run victory. He hit an eventful nine runs during the second ODI, however while fielding he injured his knee and sat out England's 42-run victory in the third ODI. He returned for the 4th ODI on August 30. Flintoff missed England's two narrow defeats to India in the 5th and 6th ODI before taking 3-45 in the 7th ODI, helping England win the series 4-3 in a 7 wicket victory. His ankle injury recurred during the end of the 2007 season, he did not accompany the England squad to Sri Lanka, and a fourth operation made it highly unlikely that he would play again before the summer of 2008, missing both the Sri Lankan test series and the 2008 tour of New Zealand. Flintoff, however, remained "upbeat" about his career.

Individual records and achievements

• Flintoff is the third highest English wicket-taker in one-day international cricket with 135 wickets, and the 12th highest in Test cricket, with 197 wickets. These figures include wickets taken for the ICC World XI.
• He is also the 9th highest English run-scorer in one-day internationals, with a total of 2975.
• Flintoff hit Surrey's Alex Tudor for 34 runs (6-4-4-4-4-6-6-0) in an over at Old Trafford in 1998. The over included two no-balls that, under ECB regulations, counted for two penalty runs apiece, making a grand total of 38.
• The highest score of his career at any level is 232 not out for St Anne's (Under 15) Cricket Club against Fulwood and Broughton, he recalls that "it was a 20 -overs-a-side game, played on an artificial wicket, and I remember getting dropped when I'd scored just six. My opening partner David Fielding scored 60 not out and we got 319 for 0 in 20 overs. You don't forget days like that, whatever the standard you're playing in".
• Flintoff was Lancashire's winner of the NBC Denis Compton Award in 1997.
• Flintoff holds the record for the most sixes scored for England, beating Ian Botham's record of 67 with a six off India's Piyush Chawla in Mohali on 11 March 2006.
• Flintoff is only the sixth player to have batted on all five days of a Test match, achieving this feat at Mohali, in the same match in which he broke the sixes record.

In popular culture

• He appears on the cover of EA Sports' video games Cricket 05 and Cricket 07 .

• Flintoff was joint winner of the Beard Liberation Front's Beard of the Year award in 2004 with NATFHE union leader Paul Mackney and then won again in 2005.

Autobiographies

He has written several books, Being Freddie, Freddie and Andrew Flintoff, My Life in Pictures.

Flintoff is a casual supporter of Manchester City, Preston North End and Liverpool Football Clubs, although he states in his autobiography that he prefers the two Rugby codes.

Family

He married Rachael Wools on 5 March 2005 and they have two children, a daughter, Holly (born September 2004) and a son, Corey (born March 2006). Rachael is expecting their third child, due April 2008. He has the names Rachael, Holly and Corey tattooed on his left shoulder.

Andrew's father, Colin and his brother, Chris, both played cricket, with Colin still playing for Whittingham Cricket Club near Preston.

During his innings of 167 against the West Indies at Edgbaston in July 2004, one six off Jermaine Lawson was hit high into the Ryder Stand and was almost caught by his dad, who fumbled the ball and dropped it. Colin Flintoff remarked "If I'd taken it he'd have been the first Test batsman to be caught out by his dad!".

Test Centuries

One Day International Centuries