Cricket legend Andrew Flintoff has stepped out of retirement to re-join Lancashire for this season’s Twenty20 Blast.
The former England and Lancashire all-rounder returns after a four-year absence from the game to play for Glen Chapple’s Lancashire Lightning squad.
Preston-born Flintoff made his debut for Lancashire in 1995 and went on to perform for England in 79 tests, 141 one-day internationals and seven Twenty20 games.
“I feel young; I behave like I’m young, it’s the easiest decision I’ve made in my career,” Flintoff told BBC Radio 5 live Sport.
“Lancs think I can do it; I think I can do it. I can’t guarantee performance but I’m going to have a go at this. I’ve got to prove myself.
“I don’t want it to be one year. You see Brad Hogg playing in the Big Bash, Brad Hodge is playing for Australia at 39, Glen Chapple’s 40 and still charging in in four-dayers.”
Flintoff, known affectionately throughout the country as ‘Freddie’, was a leading light for England’s Ashes triumphs in both 2005 and 2009 but a series of injuries forced his retirement in 2010.
Following the decision, Flintoff has rarely been out of the public eye and in 2012 he made his boxing debut, also undertaking much media work.
In 2010 Flintoff began appearing in Sky TV’s A League Of Their Own and in 2011 he briefly became a commentator on the PDC World Darts Championship.
In 2012 he returned to commentary during the World Matchplay and is also a presenter on BBC Radio Five Live.
Flintoff had hoped to play alongside India‘s Sachin Tendulkar for Marylebone Cricket Club in an invitational match against a World XI in July, but disappointingly for Flintoff former West Indies great Brian Lara became the preferred choice.
Flintoff said that being second choice to Lara was his inspiration to come out of retirement.
“I thought, ’They’re all 10 years older than me and they’ve not played for years. It was getting knocked back and wanting to play, practising and realising ‘I can still do this’,” he said.
“There was unfinished business when I retired. I’d sooner try and have it not come off than sit at home for the rest of my days thinking, ‘I should have tried this, I should have had a go.’ I don’t live like that.”
Lancashire play Birmingham Bears in the NatWest T20 Blast at Emirates Old Trafford this Friday (6.30pm) though Flintoff is expected to kick off his season in the home match against Yorkshire next Friday.
Main image courtesy of BBC via YouTube, with thanks.
