Flintoff sore but happy as he returns to the fray
ANDREW FLINTOFF played his first competitive cricket yesterday since the last day of the final Test of England’s triumphant 2009 Ashes series — and was immediately among the wickets.
After five painful years in which the 36-year-old former England all-rounder thought he would never play again, he went back to the small club where his career began, St Annes near Blackpool, for a warm-up ahead of his professional return this week.
He is expected to make a big-stage comeback for Lancashire in Friday’s T20 Blast fixture against Yorkshire and the early signs are he still has something to offer.
Flintoff took three wickets for St Annes, one of them a spectacular caught and bowled, in a Northern Premier League match against Penrith. He bowled 12 overs, with five maidens and a tally of 3-26.
With the bat he had a shorter contribution, making two runs in his first two balls and then getting caught on the boundary at long off as a lofted drive headed for what otherwise would have been a six.
‘I’ve really enjoyed today,’ he said. ‘I’ve not played here for almost 20 years and it’s like I have never been away. It was nice to get 12 overs under my belt. That was one of the things I wanted to do today — I wanted to bowl.’
The most important aspect of his performance was his body withstanding the day’s action. He retired after those Ashes five summers ago with a severe knee injury after chronic problems. In total, he has had 12 operations on his ankle and knee.
Prior to yesterday, his last ball in anger was at The Oval on August 23, 2009, a day remembered for a fifth Test and series win illuminated by Flintoff taking Ricky Ponting’s wicket with a direct hit from his fielding position at mid-off.
Yesterday’s first wicket was a lesser scalp, that of Penrith’s 18-year-old Greg Hall, caught behind. The second wicket was a peach, taking Penrith’s pro Paul Hindmarch, caught and bowled, Flintoff plucking cleanly from the air with his right hand.
Flintoff admitted to some soreness afterwards, saying: ‘I’d be lying if I said things didn’t hurt a bit. But then I’ve got a knee full of metal.
‘I twisted my ankle three-and-ahalf weeks ago. However, it’s better than it was when I finished first time around (in 2009). I’m just enjoying it. I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. I’m not making big hopes.’