Flintoff casts off burden (4 May 1999)
Andrew Flintoff is just about the most uncomplicated character you will find in the World Cup
04-May-1999
4 May 1999
Flintoff casts off burden
Peter Deeley
Andrew Flintoff is just about the most uncomplicated character you
will find in the World Cup. Yet his explosive hitting has the
potential to make life extremely difficult for England's opponents in
the coming weeks.
The physical bulk of this 21-year-old is quite awesome. His 17st, 6ft
4in frame seems to overflow the canvas chair on which he precariously
perches.
A couple of years ago, Flintoff was around 19st with still a good
deal of blubber and the weight he was carrying affected his bowling.
Now he has shed the excess and says that his medium pace has improved
as a result.
Since slamming Essex for 143 off 66 balls, including nine sixes, in
his only one-day game this season, Flintoff has been seen in some
quarters as the man to lift a rather ordinary England limited-overs
side.
That might be a daunting prospect for many, not least a youngster
making his way to the top with only four one-day internationals - in
Sharjah a month ago - behind him.
Yet none of the hype seems to faze Flintoff. "I know people are
talking about me. But to be honest, I never read the papers. I
generally only look at the pictures."
Flintoff can be his own severest critic. Asked if he deserved to be
dropped after his two Test appearances last summer against South
Africa, he said: "I was playing so badly, I shouldn't have even been
playing for Lancashire."
It may be a good omen for England that Flintoff found it easier to
assimilate at one-day international level. Not normally
over-afflicted by nerves, he admitted to more than a twinge or two
when he scored fifty on his debut, against Pakistan. "But after an
over or two, I started to hit some shots and felt much better."
They still talk at Old Trafford about one six he hit two summers ago
which travelled around 140 yards into an adjoining car park. Yet
Flintoff cannot even remember who was the unfortunate bowler. That
speaks volumes about a young man who admits to being more laid-back
than most.
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)