Freddie - I'll be back

England Cricket / Editor / 02 May 2007 / Leave a Comment

Betfair punters who feel England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is a spent force may take note of his determination to bounce back after a period in the doldrums.

The 29-year-old established himself as the game's premier all-rounder after the 2005 Ashes series in England, with an ability to claim wickets at crucial times and take the game away from the opposition with powerful hitting all round the ground.

However his form, at least with the bat, has tailed off in recent times and a meagre average of 28 in the disastrous Ashes tour Down Under, coupled with just 11 wickets, prompted many in the game to suggest that the cricketing public may have seen the best of the Lancastrian.

The Preston-born star failed to cover himself in glory at the recent World Cup and scored just 92 runs during his time in the Caribbean, while still maintaining decent form with the ball in his hand.

He also came in for some fierce criticism over late-night drinking exploits, which could have ended in tragedy, as he had to be rescued from a pedalo after getting into difficulty in the early hours of the morning.

Next up for Flintoff and his England team-mates are the West Indies and 'Freddie' wants to get back on the field as soon as possible to prove that he still has what it takes to compete at the top level.

"Sometimes you might need a rest but at this moment I want to get back to where I want to be in the game," he said. "I'm 29 and I feel my best years are in front of me but I'm going to have to work hard to prove that."

"I'm keen to show that I'm a cricketer and committed to the game. That's something we're going to see over the next few weeks.

"I've had a little holiday, after the World Cup I stayed on in Barbados with the family and it gave me a chance to recap on the last 18 months.

It has been suggested that off-field activities have led to a downturn in Flntoff's form and he admitted that cricket will be his main focus from now on.

"With my benefit, the Ashes and the World Cup it's been a hectic time but now what I'm doing is getting back to cricket," he added.

"That's what I do best and what I enjoy doing, I'm not taking on anything else from outside the game."

Flintoff is sure to feature in the many Betfair markets that will open up as the English season unfolds, with England currently trading at 1.66 to win the first Test at Lord's, which begins on Thursday, May 17, and the tourists on offer at 8.8.

The draw trades at 3.35 while England are 1.26 favourites to win the series, with the Windies available at 9.4 and a drawn series available to back at 5.6.