Flintoff to retire from test cricket

[Rocksuperstar]

From Sky News

Andrew Flintoff has confirmed he is to retire from test cricket after this summer's Ashes series is completed.


He is due to hold a news conference within the next hour.
Sky News sports presenter Nick Powell said: "Flintoff has said 'my body has told me it's time to stop'. It's been a long-running battle against injury for him and he wants to play more one-day cricket."

 

[SlickMongoose]

Understandable - If he continues the constant injuries could ruin his life. Don't like the timing, though.

 

[Mullers]

Apart from the Ashes I don't think he has really done that much in the game. When he came on the scene he was supposed to be the next Ian Botham. I don't think he is fit to lace Botham's boots.

 

[TrueYid]

I think this a good thing for the England team, whilst Freddy was an great athlether and gave his all, England have been too reliant on him over the past few years.

England captains including Freddy himself, have often over bowled him in order to prize a wicket when nothing is happening for the bowlers.

His retirement will give JA, SB, and Englands other bowlers that extra responsibility, which I think they have the ability to take, for too long now, England he has been the go to man.

Ashes 2005 where the highlight of my life following English cricket, and I for one will forever have fond memories of his efforts during that test series.

Sadly he has not been able to replicate that form, due to injuries and off the filed troubles.

Thanks for everything, and good luck for the rest of the series, hopefully the big man can provide us with one last victorious memory of the old enemy

 

[Rocksuperstar]

From Sky Sports

Andrew Flintoff says his decision to retire from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes is "for my own sanity".

Flintoff admitted the succession of injuries that have ravaged his career in recent years have finally taken their toll.

He plans to concentrate his efforts on the one-day format after this summer in a bid to prolong his England career.

"Excuse the pun, but it's not a knee-jerk reaction, it's something I've been thinking about for a while. It's just the timing of it," Flintoff said.

"I think with this latest thing with my knee, seeing the surgeon Monday and having jabs in it, my body is telling me it's time to give in.

"For my own sanity I can't keep going through rehabilitation, I think I've done two years in the past four, just rehab all the way through.

"I've got four Test matches, and I'll give my utmost for England to try and contribute to an Ashes win, so that's what I'm focusing on over the next few weeks."

Flintoff is confident of overcoming his latest knee injury - a recurrence of the problem that required an operation in April - to play in the second Ashes Test at Lord's, although a final decision will not be made until Thursday morning.

"I've bowled a few overs and we'll make the final decision in the morning, just to check everything is fine, and have another bowl before they announce the final team, but I'm very hopeful at this stage," he added.

The 31-year-old explained he felt he had to make his decision public to help him perform to his best for the remainder of the summer.

"I just wanted to get it out there, and tell people what I intended to do. I think the time now is right," he said.

"Over the next few weeks, I will do anything to get out on the cricket field."
Flintoff's finest hour came in the 2005 Ashes series when he starred with bat and ball as England ended an 18-year drought against Australia with a 2-1 series win.

His recollections of that series remain vivid - and he has far from given up hope of history repeating itself.

"It was a special group of cricketers we had," he recalled. "We were confident of doing something special, and standing there on that podium at the Oval after the last Test match is something I will remember for a long time - I hope I can do that again.

"You have Twenty20 and one-day cricket. But to perform in the Ashes is the ultimate."