Andrew Flintoff

Andrew Flintoff

Personal information
Full name	Andrew Flintoff
Born	6 December 1977 (1977-12-06) Preston, Lancashire, England
Nickname	Freddie
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right-arm fast
Role	All-rounder
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 591)	23 July 1998 v South Africa
Last Test	20 August 2009 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 154)	7 April 1999 v Pakistan
Last ODI	3 April 2009 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1995–2010	Lancashire
2009	Chennai Super Kings
Career statistics
Competition	Test	ODIs	FC	LA
Matches	79	141	183	282
Runs scored	3,845	3,394	9,027	6,641
Batting average	31.77	32.01	33.80	29.78
100s/50s	5/26	3/18	15/53	6/34
Top scores	167	123	167	1
Balls bowled	14,951	5,624	22,799	9,416
Wickets	226	169	350	289
Bowling average	32.78	24.38	31.59	22.61
5 wickets in innings	3	2	4	2
10 wickets in match	0	n/a	0	n/a
Best bowling	5/58	5/19	5/24	5/19
Catches/stumpings	52/–	47/–	185/–	106/–
Source: CricketArchive, 29 August 2009

Andrew Flintoff, MBE (born 6 December 1977), nicknamed Freddie Flintoff, is a professional boxer and former English cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club, Chennai Super Kings and England. Since retiring from cricket, Flintoff has become a broadcaster and professional boxer.

A tall (6' 4") fast bowler, batsman and slip fielder, Flintoff was consistently rated by the ICC as being among the top international allrounders in both ODI and Test cricket. Following his debut in 1998, Flintoff became an integral player for England, serving as both captain and vice-captain of the team. However, he suffered regular injuries throughout his international career, often due to his heavy frame and bowling action. During the period 2007–09 he played in only 13 of England's 36 Test matches, but nevertheless remained a core member of the England squad, being selected whenever available.

On 15 July 2009 he announced his retirement from Test cricket at the conclusion of the 2009 Ashes series, on 24 August, but made himself available for future commitments in One Day International and Twenty20 International matches. It was reported on 7 September 2009 that Flintoff has developed deep vein thrombosis after surgery to his knee. On 16 September 2010, he announced his retirement from all cricket. He made his professional boxing debut on 30 November 2012 in Manchester, beating American Richard Dawson on a points decision.

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. He made his Test match debut for England in 1998 against South Africa at Trent Bridge, in a match remembered for its second-innings duel between Mike Atherton and Allan Donald; in a precursor to their subsequent all-round rivalry, Flintoff and Jacques Kallis exchanged wickets. Nonetheless, 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 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, which was mimicked by Sourav Ganguly in a later match.

Best performances

Batting

Test centuries

	Runs	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year
1	137	13	New Zealand	Christchurch, New Zealand	Jade Stadium	2002
2	142	23	South Africa	London, England	Lord's	2003
3	102*	33	West Indies	St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda	Antigua Recreation Ground	2004
4	167	38	West Indies	Birmingham, England	Edgbaston	2004
5	102	51	Australia	Nottingham, England	Trent Bridge	2005

One Day International centuries

	Runs	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year
1	106	73	New Zealand	Bristol, England	County Cricket Ground	2004
2	123	74	West Indies	London, England	Lord's	2004
3	104	78	Sri Lanka	Southampton, England	Rose Bowl	2004

Bowling

Test five-wicket hauls

	Figures	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year
1	5/58	33	West Indies	Bridgetown, Barbados	Kensington Oval	2004
2	5/78	52	Australia	London, England	The Oval	2005
3	5/92	77	Australia	London, England	Lord's	2009

One Day International five-wicket hauls

	Figures	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year
1	5/56	125	India	Bristol, England	County Cricket Ground	2007
2	5/19	141	West Indies	Gros Islet, Saint Lucia	Beausejour Stadium	2009

External links

• Official Website
• Andrew Flintoff photos & statistics at sporting-heroes.net
• Andrew Flintoff at ESPNcricinfo
• Player Profile: Andrew Flintoff from Cricket Archive
• Roebuck, Peter. "Upwards, kicking and screaming." Cricinfo. 3 September 2008 (Retrieved 11 February 2009).
• Sporting Mavericks Hall of Fame Entry