England's Andrew Flintoff, on his knees, is congratulated by teammates after bowling the wicket of Australia's Peter Siddle. AAP Images
England’s fiery all-rounder Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff will say farewell to Test cricket at The Oval next week. Described as the second Ian Botham, Flintoff was behind England regaining the Ashes in 2005 and going one-up in the current series at Lord’s last month with a Man of the Match performance.
He has a magnetic persona, a joie de vivre that draws spectators in, that indefinable ‘lure of the animal’. He has made Test cricket exciting again. Like Keith Miller, Imran Khan Doug Walters, Viv Richards and Botham before him, he has that certain charm.
A simple Lancastrian, Flintoff divides items in two categories, things that matter and things that shatter. In 78 Tests, he has hit 82 sixes, the fifth highest in Test annals. Australia’s Gilchrist tops the list with 100 sixes in 96 Tests.
One of Flintoff’s sixes almost landed in his father Colin’s palms on the upper tier of the Ryder Stand during the Birmingham Test against the West Indies in July 2004. But Dad dropped it for which Andrew roasted him during his end of play interview. He could afford to be facetious because this was after his effervescent 167 off 191 balls, inclusive of 17 fours and 7 sixes.
His nickname Freddie was given by John Stanworth, the coach of Lancashire Second XI, when he was 15 as his surname rhymed with the lovable cartoon character Fred Flinstone.
Wisden 2004 named him as one of the Five Cricketers of the Year and described him as a farmhand delighting in the coconut shy and a blond Apollo.
Born on 6 December 1977 in Preston, he strikes sixes and shatters stumps with the delight of an uncomplicated schoolboy. “He is so laid-back, he should be an Australian really”, remarked Australia’s Stuart Law who played for Lancashire with Flintoff.
Flintoff is one of only seven cricketers to have achieved the Test triple of 3000 runs, 200 wickets and 50 catches. They are listed in chronological order below this article.
What, Warney as one of the seven great all-rounders and the only Aussie in the elite list — ahead of Richie Benaud and Alan Davidson!?
As they say, there are liars, damn liars and statisticians! But the other five have earned their place with Pollock as a somewhat doubtful entry.
But for injuries in the last few years, ‘Freddie’ Flintoff’s figures would have been more spectacular. He was badly missed in the Leeds Test last week which England lost by an innings.
Farewell, Freddie. England will be a much less fun team without you.
Player:
Garry Sobers
Tests – 93
Runs – 8032
Ave. – 57.78
Wickets – 235
Ave. – 34.03
Catches – 109
Ian Botham
Tests – 102
Runs – 5200
Ave. – 33.54
Wickets – 383
Ave. – 28.40
Catches – 120
Kapil Dev
Tests – 131
Runs – 5248
Ave. – 31.05
Wickets – 434
Ave. – 29.64
Catches – 64
Shane Warne
Tests – 145
Runs – 3154
Ave. – 17.32
Wickets – 708
Ave. – 25.41
Catches – 125
Shaun Pollock
Tests – 108
Runs – 3781
Ave. – 32.31
Wickets – 421
Ave. – 23.11
Catches – 72
Jacques Kallis
Tests – 131
Runs – 10277
Ave. – 54.66
Wickets – 258
Ave. – 31.08
Catches – 147
Andrew Flintoff
Tests – 78
Runs – 3816
Ave. – 32.06
Wickets – 225
Ave. – 32.59
Catches – 51
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