Full Name: Andrew Flintoff
DOB: 06-12-1977, Preston, Lancashire
Specialist: All-rounder
Bats: Right Hand Bat
Bowls: Right Arm Fast Seam
Major Teams: Lancashire


Talismanic all-rounder Andrew Flintoff confirmed his status as a hero of English cricket in the 2005 Ashes. His man-of-the-series displays made him just the third player to score at least 250 runs and take 20 wickets in a Test series since Ian Botham achieved the feat 20 years previously, in the process ending the unfavourable comparisons with his country's last great all-round cricketer.

Flintoff's early international career stalled amid accusations of a lack of commitment in controlling his weight and a run of injuries threatened to leave him a talent unfulfilled. A late call-up to England's tour of India in late 2001 proved to be the turning point of Flintoff's career.

Some impressive bowling spells in unfavourable conditions proved Flintoff had the heart and bowling attributes to succeed at Test level and a maiden international ton in New Zealand soon after cemented his place in the team. The increasingly successful period in English cricket that followed was due in large part to Flintoff's power-hitting and accurate pace bowling, with his mastery of reverse swing a key ingredient of the 2005 Ashes triumph.

However, three years of general disappointment followed, with Flintoff experiencing an unproductive period as stand-in captain, off-field issues that culminated in his suspension at the 2007 World Cup and a recurring ankle problem that kept him out of the Test team for 18 months.

Flintoff vowed to come back stronger and more mature and his comeback displays against South Africa in 2008 showed what England had been missing. Immediately reinstalled as leader of the bowling attack and revealing a patience in innings-building, he gave hope to England's followers that they should share Flintoff's own belief that the best is still to come. However, the constant theat of injuries always hangs over England's talisman and some predicted the beginning of the end when he returned home injured from his controversial trip to the 2009 Indian Premier League. Flintoff announced in July 2009 that he would retire from Test cricket at the end of that summer's Ashes series.

Batting Mat Ins NO Runs Hs Ave S/R 100's 50's 6's 4's
Career 141 122 16 3394 123 32.02 88.69 3 18 93 308
Batting Key: Mat = Matches, Ins = Innings, NO = Not Outs, HS = Highest Score, Ave = Average Score, S/R = Strike Rate, 100s = Centuries, 50s = Fifties, 6s = Sixes, 4s = Fours
Bowling Mat Balls Run Wkts Ave. 5wkts
Career 141 5624 4121 169 24.38 2
Bowling Key: Mat = Matches, Balls = Balls Bowled, Runs = Runs Conceded, Wkts = Wickets Taken, Ave = Average, 5wkts = Five-wicket Hauls, Econ = Bowling Economy