A Flintoff of England

Full Name:

Andrew Flintoff

DoB:

Tuesday, December 06, 1977

Birthplace:

Preston

Teams:

Lancashire

Test Debut:

v South Africa at Nottingham (Trent Bridge), 1998

ODI Debut:

v Pakistan at Sharjah, 1999

Bats:

RH

Bowls:

RAFM

Player Record:

link to stats

Andrew Flintoff is a trump card for England because he is something Australia do not possess, a world-class allrounder.

Such a status was unimaginable a few years ago when the burly Lancastrian seemed to lack the nous to make the most of a huge talent, and looked destined to be another England underachiever.

In those early years there were flashes of brilliance, but Flintoff was apt to play devastating cameos with the bat then throw his wicket away, and seemed less than completely motivated with the ball.

He has since been transformed into England's finest allrounder since Ian Botham; a sensational, crowd-pleasing batsman and a fast, disciplined bowler adept at breaking partnerships.

There are probably several reasons for his remarkable improvement. Firstly he has matured considerably from the beer-swilling, self-destructive, somewhat gauche individual who first played for England, acquiring self-belief, greater fitness levels and the ability to build an innings.

Secondly, the new "Freddie" has flourished under the relaxed but shrewd captaincy style of Michael Vaughan, as it creates an environment that the genial, witty Lancastrian thrives in.

Since Vaughan took charge in 2003 Flintoff has averaged in the mid-forties with the bat and under 30 with the ball over 27 Tests, world-class statistics that make him the envy of all other international sides.

After bowling several crucial spells in England's 2-1 defeat of South Africa in the winter, Flintoff flew home for surgery on a troublesome ankle. He made a swift recovery and bowled well against Bangladesh, though he did not get a chance to impress with the bat.

In my view, Andrew Flintoff is without a shadow of a doubt the best bowler in the England side.

His bowling is consistently excellent. He hardly ever has a poor spell, never mind a bad one. He puts the ball in the right areas to make it difficult for the opposition, all the time with aggression and pace.

His batting is a concern because he made only two decent scores in the Test matches in South Africa and he's been a bit short of runs this summer.

He's got out trying to hit spinners out of the park and what he must do is get his head down and bat, and not be trying to hit people out of the ground.

Andrew's got a strong character and if he stays fit he'll really be up for it. He has a great attitude – he's competitive but he looks like he really enjoys the game. He's also the best slip fielder we've had since Ian Botham.