Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Thu Sep 23, 2010 2:22 pm  

airliebird9 wrote:

Agreed, his stats do not make him a great but that was largely due to his poor attitude early in his career, when he was only a mediocre all rounder at best. However the latter years propelled him into super stardom. He was arguably the most feared fast bowler on the planet when he was on his game and fit for a couple or three years. His presence and aura also made him something special.

Obviously he will be remembered for the greatest Ashes series of them all, and he certainly was Michael Vaughan's 'go to' man and Australia could not handle him. With that in mind, for my mind he does go down as a great and it's a real shame he was not in his prime for long enough

His stats could've been so much better.

I would like to see Freddies batting and bowling averages under Vaughan's Captaincy. I bet there is a massive difference to the ones he finished with.

Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:24 pm  

Bang wrote:

He's a Preston fan.

Good luck to him. Really good player. Nowhere near Beefy though. He was really good, but not a great.

I'm not so sure. He dominated Australia in a couple of victorious Ashes series. I'm not sure Botham can claim that. Old cricket was rubbish too, they ran funny, had weird hair and the game was an amateur sport (As in no full time training). Botham would have had a pint and a fag before he went out.

Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:34 pm  

Ok, his stats don't compare with Botham's, or several other 'great' all-rounders, but some of his performances certainly do.

The Botham comparison is actually a lot closer than some would have you believe...Botham acheived his Ashes glory in '81 against a p!sspoor Aussie side. Lillie and Marsh were a long time over the hill, and the rest of their side was mediocre. Botham could never produce against the West Indies, who were the dominant side of Botham's era.

Flintoff, while his stats are very average, actually produced against a very strong Aussie side...Has ANY bowler ever made Hayden or Gilchrist look so bewildered during their Test careers, as Freddie did?

I seriously think that without Freddie last year, even though his performances were less sensational, we would not have regained the Ashes....His sheer presence was a massive psychological scar on the Aussies and it will be his abscence that will boost the Aussies the most this winter.

Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:48 pm  

I seem to remember it being Hoggard that had Hayden over a barrel? Bowling on to his pads with a silly mid on?

Freddie was a legend as much for his off the field antics as on. Average career peppered with the occasional outstanding performance.

Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Thu Sep 23, 2010 9:17 pm  

El Pac Carnegie wrote:

I seem to remember it being Hoggard that had Hayden over a barrel? Bowling on to his pads with a silly mid on?

Freddie was a legend as much for his off the field antics as on. Average career peppered with the occasional outstanding performance.

Agree that Hoggard was an excellent new ball bowler in that series, however when Hayden made it past him, Flintoff would inevitably snaffle him....Also, add Flintoff's 'over' at Edgbaston, where he bowled THE greatest over in Test history...FACT....that is why Freddie was special.

Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Thu Sep 23, 2010 9:49 pm  

Can't believe it took a week for the fanboy reaction.

Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Tue Sep 28, 2010 10:15 am  

Bang wrote: He's a Preston fan. Good luck to him. Really good player. Nowhere near Beefy though. He was really good, but not a great. No, he's definitely a Blue: http://www.caughtoffside.com/2009/07/19 ... ried-away/

Bang wrote: He's a Preston fan. Good luck to him. Really good player. Nowhere near Beefy though. He was really good, but not a great. No, he's definitely a Blue: http://www.caughtoffside.com/2009/07/19 ... ried-away/

Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Tue Sep 28, 2010 8:16 pm  

He definitely isn't.

Re: Andrew Flintoff Retires : Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:25 pm  

'mind the windows, Tino'