Flintoff expresses joy over new Lancashire deal

October 14th, 2009 LONDON - Former England Test all-rounder Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff's declaration that he is keen to play in Australia is likely to spark a fierce inter-state bidding war for cricket's freelance gun for hire. In an expansive interview to the Daily Telegraph, Flintoff said: "I'm hoping to play more for Lancashire and in the Indian Premier League.

October 4th, 2009 LONDON - England all rounder Andrew Flintoff, who didn't sign the ECB contract, has said that he is committed to playing in the Indian Premier League and Australia. The one issue that still worries Flintoff is when people question his loyalty and desire to play cricket for England.

September 2nd, 2009 LONDON - Lancashire has slammed the decision to abandon the second Twenty20 international between England and Australia without a ball being bowled at Old Trafford after the umpires and captains agreed that the outfield was unfit for play. England captain Paul Collingwood and his Australia counterpart Michael Clarke were forced to go on the defensive due to the bad condition of the ground.

August 18th, 2009 LONDON - England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff says his retirement from Test cricket will not be a distraction for the team in the last Ashes Test at the Brit Oval. FLintoff expects to be fit for the fifth Test against Australia that starts Thursday as he continues to battle with the knee injury that forced him to call time on his Test career.

August 4th, 2009 LONDON - Captain Andrew Strauss said that England can win the Ashes series without their maverick all-rounder Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff, who will retire after the series, has been on pain killers to ease the inflamation on his troublesome right knee.

July 29th, 2009 LONDON - England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff needed two more injections and has been sleeping with an ice-pack around his right knee to ensure his participation in the ongoing Ashes test series. All the evidence suggests that the medical treatment is working and that the all-rounder will be ready to build on his man-of-the-match performance at Lords by taking on Australia again at Edgbaston in the third Test starting Thursday.

July 8th, 2009 LONDON - Former Lancashire captain Stuart Law believes that England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff should not be a topic of discussion and that the ECB should value the cricketing giant who is in their midst. Flintoff is public property again and an expectant nation is at loggerheads over whether to delight in his humanity or to suspect that his ill-timed lapse into unprofessionalism so close to the Australia series is a harbinger of doom in the Tests that lie ahead.

June 26th, 2009 LONDON - With just 11 days left for the first Ashes Test, England cricket fans found something to cheer as charismatic all-rounder Andrew Flintoff came back from injury with a glitzy 93 from 41 balls for Lancashire in a Twenty20 match. Flintoff's 93 guided Lancashire to their highest Twenty20 score of 220 for five against Derbyshire.

June 26th, 2009 LONDON - India's V.V.S. Laxman shone with the bat hitting a breezy 63 in his second match as he guided Lancashire to a 56-run win over Derbyshire in the Twenty20 Cup.

June 18th, 2009 LANCASHIRE - Stylish Indian batsman VVS Laxman believes that his Lancashire team-mate Andrew Flintoff will recover from his knee surgery to play a vital role in England's endeavor to bring back the Ashes from the Australians. Laxman is currently playing for Lancashire in the LV County Championship England.

June 12th, 2009 LONDON - England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff Friday made a comeback to competitive cricket for Lancashire and is upbeat about his performance in the Ashes. Flintoff, surprisingly handed a starting slot by coach Peter Moores just six weeks after surgery on a troublesome knee forced him out of the IPL, claimed a wicket in just two balls of his comeback.

June 12th, 2009 LONDON - England all rounder Andrew Flintoff has said that he is confident about making it to the Ashes squad, and he proved it by knocking over former Aussie opener Michael De Venuto with his second ball. According to The Sun, Flintoff was included at the last minute by Lancashire for the four-day match against Durham after seamer Tom Smith was injured in the warm-ups.

June 11th, 2009 LONDON - Injured all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has brightened England's chances in the forthcoming Ashes series against Australia by announcing he will be fit for the tournament. Flintoff has made a quick recovery from a knee operation and has revealed that he has suffered no ill-effects from strenuous bowling sessions over the past few days, adding he could return to playing for Lancashire against Durham by Friday.

June 9th, 2009 LONDON - Andrew Flintoff revived hopes of an Ashes comeback with his second successful workout at Old Trafford. There had been some fears that Sundays workout, during which he bowled six overs in two sessions, might have brought a reaction that would delay his comeback before the Ashes.

June 2nd, 2009 LONDON - England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is not sure whether he will be fit in time for the Ashes series starting July 8. Flintoff, who was bought by Chennai Super Kings for a record $1.55 million, tore his cartilage while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in South Africa.