Andrew Flintoff Retires from all Cricket

Former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff has conceded defeat in his battle against injury and announced his retirement from all cricket.

Flintoff has not played competitively since the 2009 Ashes, undergoing surgery for a long-standing knee problem and although he was retired from Test cricket, he had announced his intention to play on in one-day and Twenty20 cricket for his country, his county Lancashire and Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings.

However, he has now been forced to end his playing career, having played 79 Tests and 141 One-Day Internationals.

Flintoff said: "The decision to end my career came yesterday after consultation with medical advisers. I was told that the problems I have been trying to overcome in rehab for the last year following the latest in a series of operations would not recover sufficiently to allow a comeback.

"Having been told that my body would no longer stand up to the rigours of cricket, I had no alternative but to retire.

"I would like to thank my family, Lancashire Cricket Club, England, all my sponsors, friends and advisers for all the help and support they have given me throughout my career.”

The right-hand batsman and right-arm fast bowler made his debut for his country in 1998, earning the man-of-the-series accolade as England won the 2005 Ashes and although he captained England during the 5-0 Ashes series defeat in Australia in 2006/7, he starred again as England won in 2009.

That was to be his swansong, despite being named in Chennai Super Kings' preliminary squad for the 2010 Champions League Twenty20 competition.

Leading the tributes on his retirement, England captain Andrew Strauss said:

“I would just like to say on behalf of the England team that we would like to congratulate Andrew on an outstanding career. The impact he has had on English cricket has been immense.

"Of course, it is a sad day when somebody like that can no longer keep playing. But we would prefer today to celebrate everything he has achieved as an England cricketer. The biggest memories I will have of him are how incredibly able he was to make something happen out of nothing with both bat and ball. 2005 was his zenith. But he was always the ultimate impact cricketer, somebody who on so many occasions stepped up to the plate.”

Hugh Morris, ECB Managing Director - England Cricket, said: “Andrew Flintoff was one of the most naturally gifted cricketers ever to wear an England shirt and he will forever be associated with England’s double Ashes triumphs in 2005 and 2009.  Andrew always gave everything on the field and his will to win and hugely competitive spirit endeared him to millions of England cricket fans nationwide. On behalf of the England team and ECB, I would like to send him best wishes for his retirement and thanks for the enormous contribution he made to a successful England team.”