England ought to give Flintoff everlasting position… he’s nonetheless acquired a lot to supply
I
t is little shock that this yr’s Ashes drew so many comparisons to 2005’s epic, since so lots of that nice collection’ heroes have been so prominently concerned.
Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan have been among the many loudest voices on Sky and the BBC’s flagship protection. Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer all landed summer time jobs within the English media, whereas the quips of their former Australian teammates tended to emerge in a single day from a partisan commentariat again dwelling.
A day of the Lord’s Test was devoted to the Ruth Strauss Foundation, the charity arrange by Andrew Strauss in reminiscence of his late spouse. His ’05 opening associate, Marcus Trescothick, stays throughout the inside sanctum as England’s batting coach.
Generally, for 2 months straight, you can not open your inbox with out being greeted by a PR e-mail providing the tuppence of one of many ensemble forged. And but by means of all of it, the person who emerged from that well-known summer time with twin accolades as each nationwide hero and treasure was nowhere — or, at the very least, nowhere to be seen.
As we now know, Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff was an incognito presence at a number of of the 5 Test matches throughout the course of June and July, protecting out of the limelight, as he had for the earlier 9 months whereas recovering from the automotive crash that just about took his life.
In fact, even with out data of that horrifying incident, Flintoff’s absence from the Ashes circus wouldn’t have come throughout as uncommon. While so lots of his contempories discovered that life after cricket consisted of extra cricket, whether or not in backrooms, boardrooms or commentary cubicles, the all-rounder had opted broadly to go away the game behind.
There have been temporary dabbles within the contrasting worlds of boxing and musical theatre, however real, extended success in a tv post-career, most notably as an everyday captain on panel present A League Of Their Own after which presenter on Top Gear. It was whereas filming for the latter late final yr that Flintoff’s open-topped, three-wheeled automotive flipped whereas travelling at greater than 120mph.
The severity of that incident was made clear when Flintoff quietly emerged back into the public gaze final week, nonetheless sporting harsh facial scars as he took up an unannounced (and unpaid) position on England’s teaching workers for the continuing one-day collection towards New Zealand.
Were these of us in Cardiff eagle-eyed sufficient to identify precisely who was working fielding drills from below a bucket hat and baseball mitt throughout the Sophia Gardens outfield, it will have made for an uplifting sight.
But this isn’t merely a narrative of cricket opening its arms to one in all its greats in want, for all that could be a lovely factor. For all sport clearly has lots to supply Flintoff at this second, he nonetheless has lots to offer it, too.
The present England facet is constructed round a core of gamers of their early thirties for whom the 2005 Ashes was a formative collection and to whom the likes of Flintoff and Pietersen have been real idols. None of these discussing the previous’s involvement this week have accomplished so with no sure glow and glint.
Captain Jos Buttler known as him a “legend”, fellow Lancashire man Liam Livingstone “one of my heroes growing up”, whereas seam bowler David Willey mentioned it was “surreal receiving compliments from Freddie”.
Beneath, a technology of cricketer is starting to emerge for whom, scary because the thought is, 2005 is past recollection. To them, Flintoff would little question make a effective, empathetic mentor, a macho determine, sure, but in addition one in all vulnerability, having opened up prior to now on his struggles with despair, bulimia and alchohol abuse. The similar mix of understanding and inspiration has helped make Ben Stokes one of many nation’s excellent sporting leaders.
And there’s extra. In the wake of the damning report revealed on equality within the sport earlier this yr, the England & Wales Cricket Board is on a significant push to interact underrepresented teams, together with these from black and Asian and economically deprived backgrounds, and simply this week introduced £2million of further funding to assist 5 key group organisations increase their excellent work.
For an indicator of Flintoff’s motivations and potential influence past the boundary, one want solely have watched his Field of Dreams tv collection, as 3.3million individuals did final yr, and been taken in by the story of an unlikely crew of kids whose preconceptions of a complicated pursuit above their station are shattered by an England nice.
It can’t be misplaced on these at ECB Towers, as they attempt to promote their sport as open to all, that the cricketer with maybe extra name-recognition than some other within the nation stays a state school-educated lad from Preston.
Flintoff’s return to cricket is, for now, with out contract or dedication, his involvement with England resulting from finish following Friday’s Fourth ODI at Lord’s. How nice it will be for all events have been it to change into one thing extra.