Andrew 'Freddy' Flintoff - Test Career
Andrew Flintoff, seems at long last to be fulfilling the promise he showed a few years ago. His game has come a long way in the last 18 months, with all aspects of it improving. Before the start of 2003, Flintoff was averaging below 20 in test cricket ... Read review
Advantages: A great talent and very entertaining Disadvantages: None
Andrew 'Freddy' Flintoff - Test Career
Andrew Flintoff, seems at long last to be fulfilling the promise he showed a few years ago. His game has come a long way in the last 18 months, with all aspects of it improving. Before the start of 2003, Flintoff was averaging below 20 in test cricket with the bat. He was a very extravagent batsmen before then, often slashing at balls outside off stump, that weren't there to be hit. Since 2003 ... ...hold.
Andrew Flintoff made his test debut in July of 1998. The match was the fourth test against South Africa at Trent Bridge. Freddy has managed to hold down a regular place in the England team and he has gone on to play 36 tests for his country. His career has improved greatly, building upon the early promise he showed.
TEST CAREER STATS
Batting ------->
Matches (Innings): 36 (55)
Runs: ... more
Andrew 'Freddy' Flintoff - Test Career
Andrew Flintoff, seems at long last to be fulfilling the promise he showed a few years ago. His game has come a long way in the last 18 months, with all aspects of it improving. Before the start of 2003, Flintoff was averaging below 20 in test cricket with the bat. He was a very extravagent batsmen before then, often slashing at balls outside off stump, that weren't there to be hit. Since 2003 he averages well over 40 runs per innings. Freddy has become a more complete batsmen. He is much more watchful than before and isn't afraid to leave a few deliveries. He has also become very solid in defence.
In the bowling department, he has become a fiery fast bowler. He has become a great back-up to the opening bowlers and also a great partnership breaker. He has sorted out his run up and his delivery stride. He bangs it in short and makes the opposition batsmen very uncomfortable. Although he doesn't have much ability to swing or seam the ball, he does still get vital wickets. His pace and bounce frightens batsmen and makes them make a mistake.
Even his fielding has come on leaps and bounds, he's now proving to be a safe pair of hands in the England slip cordon. Others around him such Trescothick and Butcher seem to be dropping more catches than they actually hold.
Andrew Flintoff made his test debut in July of 1998. The match was the fourth test against South Africa at Trent Bridge. Freddy has managed to hold down a regular place in the England team and he has gone on to play 36 tests for his country. His career has improved greatly, building upon the early promise he showed.
Bowling ------> Deliveries: 6042 Maidens: 236 Runs Conceeded: 2891 Wickets: 70 Average: 41.30 Strike Rate: 86.31 Wickets per Match: 1.94 Runs per Over: 2.87 Best Figures: 5-58 (v West Indies at Bridgetown, April 2004) Best Match Figures: 7-78 5 Wickets Hauls: 1 10 Wicket Matches: 0
Fielding ------> Catches: 21 Most Catches per Match: 3
Many are now asking in Andrew Flintoff can become the new Ian Botham. Botham rose to prominence in the 1980's with superb displays with bat and ball. He scored at a fast rate and knocked over a number of top order batsmen with the ball. There are a number of similarities between Flintoff and Botham, some of which are more obvious than others. Firstly, their build is much the same. They are both big and strong, plus they have height on their side. Their strength and power allowed them to bang the ball in short at batsmen, with a lot of pace. Their power also allowed them to despatch the ball to all corners of the ground with the bat and score their runs quickly.
Flintoff came into heavy criticism about his weight at the start of his England career. Many felt he was too large and bulky and needed to slim down. His weight was thought to be responsible for the repeated injury he sustained. He missed a number of tests mainly due to back injuries. His bowling action was also queried. His landing as he reached the popping crease was thought to be too front on and therefore affected his delivery. However, despite the criticism and continued media attention, Flintoff resolved his weight and bowling problems but not without a lot of hard work.
Andrew Flintoff now appears to be such a confident player, both on the pitch and in front of the media. He is a very calm and collected individual. He used to get involved in minor incidents on the pitch with players from the opposition. He now approaches his batting and more so his bowling with a lot of seriousness. To prevent no balls, Flintoff religiously checks his mark before he begins his run-up to deliver the ball. Flintoff has still retained much of his personality that makes him stand out among other England players. He still has a chuckle on the pitch but is much more reserved and it's all in good spirit. He has become a great ambassador to the England team and portrays a good image.
I feel that Andrew Flintoff will go own to be one of the best English cricketers of all time. With the correct attitude and a lot of determination he could become on of the greats of the game. He's still young by a cricketers standard so he has a lot of time to learn and get lots of runs and wickets. He will do well to surpass the legacy of Ian Botham but i'm sure he will be long remembered in the English game. He should be in the England team for the next 10 years if he continues in his current form.
Just today, Flintoff recorded another test half century for England.
Advantages: national hero christened Freddy Disadvantages: non-existent now
...and ball. Name: Andrew Flintoff Born: 6th December 1977 (Lancashire)
Batting: Right-hand batsman Bowling: Right-arm fast-medium Whereas he used to get out frequently by skying a loose shot, he now plays with a careness to his game, rather than just smacking it into row Z. His form for Lancashire has gone largely unnoticed because most people only jump on the bandwagon when England are doing well, whereas I personally havn't missed an England one-day ... ...dominating the world game than any footballer ever had, so lets hope that he keeps a cool head and stays around for a long time, because Andrew 'Freddy' Flintoff is quite simply - THE BEST !
(will add too at later date just want to see original response) thankyou ...
ManUtdBoi 21.08.2004 (22.08.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Andrew Flintoff
Advantages: Best batsmen for a while Disadvantages: Has too much media attention
Why is it that the second anyone of any talent at all comes to English cricket, all and sundry, start the feast. The press are totally guilty for making Flintoff the person in the medias eye. If anyone is to become a great English cricketer surely they should be given the space and time to find their feet. Then and onlty then maybe give some helpful advice. But to comment on someones weight. Do people not think, he probably sees it as no problem, ... ...he was just left alone he might become a really influential player. But llike all the rising stars of the day they are crushed by apparently their publics demand for juicy titbits. When will the papers realise that it would do more for therir sales figures to report multiple English/British wins than demure our top sporting characters. ...
Pritch42 28.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Andrew Flintoff
Advantages: He has all the talent and potential Disadvantages: Inexperience
It's hard not to like Andy Flintoff, he's young, powerful, not affraid
to put away the bad ball and in the future he'll be doing well for his
country. He has not had the best start to an international carear,
but he just needs some time to settle into the England ste up and
before long he will mature both as a cricketer and a person.
I think that England should stick with him in the all-rounder spot as
the only replacement would be Craig White ... ...level. Flintoff is vastly improving as a bowler and
when he learns which balls to hit and which to leave he'll be fine.
At the moment he is not a world class player but it is all there and if
he can pull it together I am sure he can turn into one of the worlds
best. His main problem is lack of experience both at test and county
level. When he has played a few more seasons at county level he
will then be ready. ...
mintboy 22.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Andrew Flintoff
Advantages: A lot of potential Disadvantages: Not the finished article, needs to show more promise with the ball
Andrew Flintoff is the latest in a long line of England 'allrounders' that have burst onto the international scene only to become a disappointment. Perhaps our young cricketers are put under too much pressure and need time to bed into the side and show that they can mix it at the highest level. Flintoff has shown flashes of great skill and he can really play his shots, but I think England need to find a number six batsman who can bowl part time or ...
northers 25.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Andrew Flintoff
Skill
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Advantages: A legend, inspirational, with a heart of gold Disadvantages: Never been replaced, except for a brief 2 year period by Freddie
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Advantages: Lots of experience, Muralitharan for part fo the season Disadvantages: Where are the new players
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polydeuces 29.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Lancs
Advantages: A chance to build up team confidence Disadvantages: None
I was glad to see England get back on the winning trail when they beat Zimbabwe at Old Trafford in the first day night cricket match to be played in this country.
With Zimbabwe only scoring 114 runs, it was vital that England reached their target with ease, and that is just what they did to secure a resounding victory.
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I hope that England can beat the West Indies this weekend to give themselves a good chance of reaching the final in a few days time.
If they can do that, then it might just feel like summer after all ! ...
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