5 Best performances by Andrew Flintoff

Andrew Flintoff is one of the greatest all-rounders produced by the World of Cricket. Flintoff, who featured in 79 Tests and 141 ODIs for England, was the mainstay of the England middle order who could contribute heavily with both bat and ball. In his illustrious career, Flintoff gave his fans around the world many moments of joy to cherish. Here we pick the 5 Best performances by Andrew Flintoff: 1. Match winning ‘shirtless’ act against India, 2002: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa-3kP52pGA India were in the lead in the England tour to India leading the ODI series with 3-2. The last match was to be played in Mumbai. On February 3, 2002, England managed to hold their nerves to win a cliffhanger by just 5 runs and leveled the series. Batting first, the visitors scored 255 owing to Trescothick’s 95. Andrew Flintoff provided the late onus by chipping in with 40. Andrew Flintoff had a very ordinary outing in the tour thus far. Chasing 256, as Ganguly led the charge with a commanding 80, India looked set for the win. Needing 11 to win off the last over, Freddie was entrusted with the ball and delivered the goods when it mattered the most. He ran out Anil Kumble and bowled Javagal Srinath with successive balls to dismiss India for 250 and win the match for his side. He removed his shirt in celebration which added salt to the wounds of Indian players. Also Read – 25 Facts about Andrew Flintoff – The Multi-talented English All-rounder 2. 167 v West Indies, 2004: In the 2nd Test at Edgbaston against the West Indies in 2004, Flintoff scored his career best of 167 runs. He hit 17 fours and 7 towering sixes in the innings which propelled the English score to 566/9 declared in the first innings. Windies in reply could muster only 336. Flintoff picked 2/52. England in their second innings scored 248 while Windies bundled out for 222. England won by 256 runs. But the highlight of the match was Flintoff’s innings. During his innings of 167 against the West Indies at Edgbaston in July 2004, one six off Jermaine Lawson was hit high into the Ryder Stand and was almost caught by his father, who fumbled the ball and dropped it. Colin Flintoff, father of Andrew Flintoff, later commented on the incident quoting “If I’d taken it he’d have been the first Test batsman to be caught out by his dad!” 3. 5/19 and a hat-trick against West Indies: Flintoff seemed to have had a liking for the Caribbean side. England had a troubling time in the year 2009. Kudos to heroics of Flintoff in the 5th ODI of England’s tour to West Indies, there seemed to be an end to the hard times as England won the series 3-2. In a rain-curtailed match of 29 overs-a-side, England could manage 172/4. West Indies were then bowled out for 146 in 28 overs largely due to Flintoff’s career best bowling of 5/19 which included a hat-trick. First to go was Denesh Ramdin, who shuffled into line to a full-length inswinger, but worked the ball onto the base of his own stumps. One delivery later Ravi Rampaul was pinned on the crease by a shin-high full toss, and then, with the England fans roaring in the crowds, the West Indians starting to move out of the park, he produced a superlative yorker to demolish Sulieman Benn’s defences. That delivery made Flintoff the third Englishman in history to record an ODI hat-trick after Steve Harmison and James Anderson. 4. The greatest over ever v Australia: In the 2nd Test against Australia in the Ashes 2005, Flintoff bowled one of the best overs that world cricket could ever witness. The first ball of the over was bowled to Justin Langer, which he played defensively. The second ball was a peach as he got through the defenses of Langer to bowl him out. The third delivery struck Ricky Ponting on his pads and the English players appealed; umpire ruled out the appeal. He got a nick on the fourth ball which didn’t carry to the gully fielder. This was a perfect set up for the Aussie skipper. The 5th ball was another LBW shout which was turned down and the sixth, ‘luckily’ enough was a no-ball. He had to re-bowl the ball, the 7th of the over, on which he got the edge from Ricky Ponting and the keeper pocketed the ball with ease. England went on to win the match by narrowest of margins, 2 runs! 5. 5-wicket haul at the Lord’s: Andrew Flintoff’s 5/92 runs is probably the only five-wicket haul at the Lord’s that is not remembered for the actual achievement, but instead for the celebration. Having trapped Peter Siddle with an inswinging delivery that found its way through the gate to send the middle stump flying, Flintoff proceeded to get down on one knee, stretch his arms out wide and chew his gum with his mouth wide open. Before the tournament, Flintoff, largely plagued by injuries, was heading towards a retirement and this was perhaps to end with the best. In his final, defining series – the Ashes 2009– Andrew Flintoff starred with a five-wicket haul in the second innings as England took a 1-0 lead.

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5 Best performances by Andrew Flintoff

4. The greatest over ever v Australia:

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