England star Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff to retire from international Test cricket
England cricket star Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff is to quit international Test cricket after this summer's Ashes series against Australia.
The 31-year-old all-rounder has had four ankle operations and knee surgery in recent years and the injuries may be a reason for his decision.
But Flintoff is not giving up the game completely.
He will still play in the England One Day side, and may even try to play in the 2015 World Cup, and may still play for Lancashire.
But his career with the England Test (five-day matches) team will be over after the Ashes.
Flintoff is one of the world's greatest bowlers. In 2005, Flintoff helped England to win the Ashes for the first time since 1987.
In the Second Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston in August 2005, he broke England's 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'.
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, Lancashire.
Andrew Flintoff: This is not the end of England career
Andrew Flintoff says that his retirement from Test cricket after the Ashes is far from being the end of his sporting career. He intends to play on for several years more - maybe even until the 2015 World Cup - as a one-day international specialist.
By Simon Briggs at Lord's
15 Jul 2009
The Telegraph
High note: Andrew Flintoff still has a role to play for England Photo: PA
Shirtless: Flintoff celebrates taking the final wicket in England's Bombay win over India that levelled the one-day series back in 2002
Picture: REUTERS
Are you sitting comfortably? Flintoff suffered terrible luck with injuries over the years - including a stress fracture he picked up during England's tour of South Africa in 2000
After explaining his rationale for his decision, which comes into force at the end of the England-Australia series, Flintoff said that he wanted to concentrate on the shorter form of the game.
He intends to use the time freed up by his Test retirement to become the best one-day player in the world.
"This is not something I have thought of overnight," Flintoff said. "It has been building up for a while. I have had four ankle operations, and knee surgery. My body is telling me things and I'm starting to listen to it. I can't keep playing one game here and one game there.
New order: Flintoff helped England lift the famous Ashes urn in 2005 for the first time since 1987
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
"There is a World Cup coming up in 2011, and I'd like to play another after that.
Retiring from the Test game should let me focus on one-day cricket. I still feel I've got a lot to give. Although the Ashes are on a different level to anything else, I enjoy the short form, and want to be the best I possibly can."
Flintoff said he was feeling a combination of sadness and relief as he finally acknowledged that his Test career is approaching the end of the road. But he also emphasised that he would do anything he could to add another four Tests to his current total of 75. "I want to end on a high," he said.
Star man: Flintoff's bowling performances helped England to win the 2005 Ashes
Picture: PA
It is understood that Flintoff has already undergone three injections on his sore knee after the Cardiff Test, and he didn't rule out further intervention if the problem persists. As for tomorrow's Lord's Test, he bowled in the nets today and said that if he experienced no ill-effects in the morning, he would play a full part in the match.
"It is a weight off my shoulders to let everyone know where I'm at, but there is sadness too," he said. "Still, I can't grumble too much. When I started at 20 I was rubbish, and if someone had said to me 'You'll play 75 Tests" I'd have bitten their hand off."
Asked what had been the best part of his Test career, Flintoff pointed to the period between 2003 and 2005, when he averaged over 40 with the bat and turned himself into one of the most feared bowlers in the world.
"When Michael Vaughan took over as captain, I played some of my best cricket in the next two or three years. I would have liked my career to have kicked on after that. But since then, I have never got that rhythm of playing day in and day out. I have been a professional rehabber for most of the last two years."
Repeat performance? after announcing his retirement from the international game at the end of the Ashes series, Andrew Flintoff will be hoping he can make it a summer to remember for England cricket supporters
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
This sporting life: Brett Lee (left), the Australia batsman, received a sporting handshake from Flintoff after the tourists lost the second Test of the 2005 Ashes at Edgbaston as England levelled the series at 1-1
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
Pumped up: as England edged towards an unlikely Ashes victory, Flintoff and his team-mates celebrate as Australia are beaten by three wickets in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Picture: PA
Bowled over: Flintoff celebrates taking Simon Katich's wicket during the fifth and final Test at London's Oval
Star man: Flintoff's performance in the summer of 2005 earned him numerous plaudits
Picture: PA
One of the greats: Ricky Ponting falls victim to Flintoff at the end of Flintoff's incredible double-wicket over in the second Ashes Test of 2005
Picture: PA
Up in smoke: Flintoff celebrated England's Ashes win in 2005 - their first since 1987 - with a cigar and a beer
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
Party animal: Flintoff, after helping England to their Ashes victory, led the celebrations
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
New order: Flintoff helped England lift the famous Ashes urn in 2005 for the first time since 1987
Smashed: however, Flintoff suffered the ignominy of leading his side to a disastrous 5-0 defeat in the 2006-07 Ashes to give the Ashes urn back to the Aussies
Despair: Flintoff suffers as England sink to a calamitous second Test defeat to Australia in Adelaide in the 2006/07 Ashes
Picture: PA
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
Making a stand: alongside Graham Thorpe (right), Flintoff hit 137 during England's First Test against New Zealand in Christchurch as the pair scored a record partnership 281 back in 2002
telegraph.co.uk
England cricket star Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff is to quit international Test cricket after this summer's Ashes series against Australia.
The 31-year-old all-rounder has had four ankle operations and knee surgery in recent years and the injuries may be a reason for his decision.
But Flintoff is not giving up the game completely.
He will still play in the England One Day side, and may even try to play in the 2015 World Cup, and may still play for Lancashire.
But his career with the England Test (five-day matches) team will be over after the Ashes.
Flintoff is one of the world's greatest bowlers. In 2005, Flintoff helped England to win the Ashes for the first time since 1987.
In the Second Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston in August 2005, he broke England's 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'.
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, Lancashire.
Andrew Flintoff: This is not the end of England career
Andrew Flintoff says that his retirement from Test cricket after the Ashes is far from being the end of his sporting career. He intends to play on for several years more - maybe even until the 2015 World Cup - as a one-day international specialist.
By Simon Briggs at Lord's
15 Jul 2009
The Telegraph
High note: Andrew Flintoff still has a role to play for England Photo: PA
Shirtless: Flintoff celebrates taking the final wicket in England's Bombay win over India that levelled the one-day series back in 2002
Picture: REUTERS
After explaining his rationale for his decision, which comes into force at the end of the England-Australia series, Flintoff said that he wanted to concentrate on the shorter form of the game.
He intends to use the time freed up by his Test retirement to become the best one-day player in the world.
"This is not something I have thought of overnight," Flintoff said. "It has been building up for a while. I have had four ankle operations, and knee surgery. My body is telling me things and I'm starting to listen to it. I can't keep playing one game here and one game there.
New order: Flintoff helped England lift the famous Ashes urn in 2005 for the first time since 1987
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
"There is a World Cup coming up in 2011, and I'd like to play another after that.
Retiring from the Test game should let me focus on one-day cricket. I still feel I've got a lot to give. Although the Ashes are on a different level to anything else, I enjoy the short form, and want to be the best I possibly can."
Flintoff said he was feeling a combination of sadness and relief as he finally acknowledged that his Test career is approaching the end of the road. But he also emphasised that he would do anything he could to add another four Tests to his current total of 75. "I want to end on a high," he said.
Star man: Flintoff's bowling performances helped England to win the 2005 Ashes
Picture: PA
It is understood that Flintoff has already undergone three injections on his sore knee after the Cardiff Test, and he didn't rule out further intervention if the problem persists. As for tomorrow's Lord's Test, he bowled in the nets today and said that if he experienced no ill-effects in the morning, he would play a full part in the match.
"It is a weight off my shoulders to let everyone know where I'm at, but there is sadness too," he said. "Still, I can't grumble too much. When I started at 20 I was rubbish, and if someone had said to me 'You'll play 75 Tests" I'd have bitten their hand off."
Asked what had been the best part of his Test career, Flintoff pointed to the period between 2003 and 2005, when he averaged over 40 with the bat and turned himself into one of the most feared bowlers in the world.
"When Michael Vaughan took over as captain, I played some of my best cricket in the next two or three years. I would have liked my career to have kicked on after that. But since then, I have never got that rhythm of playing day in and day out. I have been a professional rehabber for most of the last two years."
Repeat performance? after announcing his retirement from the international game at the end of the Ashes series, Andrew Flintoff will be hoping he can make it a summer to remember for England cricket supporters
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
Picture: PA
Star man: Flintoff's performance in the summer of 2005 earned him numerous plaudits
Picture: PA
Picture: PA
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
Despair: Flintoff suffers as England sink to a calamitous second Test defeat to Australia in Adelaide in the 2006/07 Ashes
Picture: PA
Picture: GETTY IMAGES
telegraph.co.uk
