Andrew Flintoff signs autographs for fans as he continues his new role working with the England cricket team following his life-threatening crash on Top Gear… as Stuart Broad says his former team-mate is in ‘fine form’
- Andrew Flintoff made his first public appearance in nine months on Friday
- The former cricketer suffered a life threatening car crash on Top Gear
- He was seen this mentor in fine spirits as England prepare for their ODI
Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff has continued work in his new role with the England team, as they look to clinch the second ODI against New Zealand.
The former international cricketer was pictured in public for the first time in nine months on Friday, after surviving a horrific crash on BBC Show Top Gear.
He suffered broken ribs as well as injuries to his face in the incident on December 13, which saw his open-topped car flip over.
Rain has delayed the start to England’s second ODI against New Zealand, though new pictures this morning have shown Flintoff getting involved in the warm-up and signing autographs for fans – as fans at The Ageas Bowl wait for rain to clear for the action to get underway.
The 45-year-old appeared to be in fine spirits as he shared a joke with England stars Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, and was also seen shaking hands with Jonny Bairstow.
Andrew Flintoff signs autographs for fans as he continues his new role with the England team
Flintoff was seen on the pitch this morning after making his first public appearance in nine months on Friday – following his life-threatening crash on BBC show Top Gear
Flintoff shakes hands with current England star Jonny Bairstow during this morning’s warm-up
Stuart Broad has insisted that Flintoff (right) has been in ‘fine form’ as the former cricketer is seen sharing a joke with Chris Woakes and Mark Wood
Flintoff is pictured at the back of the huddle as England prepare for their second ODI
Stuart Broad says Flintoff has been ‘fine form’ and has been happy to ‘spend some time and pick the brain’ of his former England team-mate
Former team-mate Stuart Broad praised Flintoff while speaking to Sky Sports, saying that he has been in ‘fine form’ since his return to working with the England team.
Broad said: ‘I saw him at Cardiff and I had 10 minutes with him. He was in really fine form.
‘He’s been doing some work with the England Under-19s which he really enjoyed and he’d just arrived in Cardiff to settle into this group for this series.
‘Freddie Flintoff would have inspired this side back in ’05 and before so he’s an icon of English cricket and a legend of the game, so just to be able to spend some time around him and pick his brain and feel the aura he has within the group.
‘The opportunity for him to pull on the Three Lions shirt again is really special.’
Having quit Top Gear in the aftermath of his crash, Flintoff has been making a quiet re-introduction to the game this summer and kept a low profile as a spectator at several Ashes Tests.
Ahead of his return to work, Flintoff received encouragement from England managing director Rob Key and spent time working with the England Under-19 team.
His facial injuries are still visible nine months on since the horror crash.
It is uncertain whether Flintoff will resume his television career after the accident which left him badly injured and caused him to spend five weeks in hospital.
But it now looks certain that he will instead explore coaching and mentoring opportunities in the game that made his name.
Flintoff’s horror crash sports car was not fitted with air bags it emerged after the smash
Flintoff was driving an open-topped three-wheel organ Super 3 car for Top Gear in December last year when the vehicle flipped
One of the great all-rounders, Flintoff was an iconic symbol of the 2005 Ashes-winning side
Flintoff is one of the great all-rounders of the English game and was an iconic symbol of the famous side that won the Ashes in 2005.
In all he played in 79 Tests and 141 one-day internationals before retiring after England won the 2009 Ashes.
The father-of-four was ‘lucky to be alive’ when his open-topped three-wheel 130mph Morgan Super 3 which didn’t have air bags flipped over. He had to wait 45 minutes for an air ambulance to arrive.
Filming on Top Gear was suspended while Flintoff recovered from his injuries and investigations took place, with reports the former professional cricketer was putting his TV career on hold.
The former professional cricketer received facial injuries and broken ribs after the vehicle he was driving flipped over
Flintoff appeared in good spirits as he spent time with the England U19s team in Wales on Friday when he made his return to the public spotlight
Flintoff looked animated as he watched from the stands during the first one day international match at Sophia Gardens
In the aftermath of the crash Flintoff’s wife Rachael repeatedly begged him to stay off work.
This may well have influenced his decision to return to cricket rather than taking part in dangerous stunts.
Flintoff has four children with Rachael – Holly, Corey, Rocky and Preston.
Flintoff was sent messages of support after returning to the public spotlight on Friday.
Pietersen posted a picture of Flintoff and wrote: ‘Freddie BACK!!!!’ along with six heart emojis.
Meanwhile, Morgan also stated that it was ‘brilliant’ to see Flintoff back.
Morgan wrote: ‘Brilliant to see Freddie @flintoff11 back with the England team today, after that horrendous Top Gear car smash.’
Mail Sport’s David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd wrote: ‘Really , really pleased ! Great to have him back in the game’.
Speaking after the former all-rounder’s return, England star Liam Livingstone has discussed the importance of having the ‘national hero’ back.
‘It’s incredible to have someone of his experience with us,’ said England’s Livingstone after New Zealand somewhat spoiled the reunion party with an eight-wicket win in the first ODI.
‘He was obviously one of my heroes growing up. Thankfully I’ve been around Fred a little bit at Lancashire and he’s back at Old Trafford a bit more again now with his boys coming through at the club.
‘It’s been great for the lads to have him here now. We’ve all been talking to him, especially when we were batting. You’ve got three and a half hours to pick the brains of someone who’s been there and done it.
‘He’s a national hero so everybody loves that Fred’s going to be with us for the whole of this series and I’m sure he will enjoy himself as well.’
The cricketer continued to discuss how he and his teammates will learn off the legend as he returns in a mentoring role within the ECB.
‘The main thing is that we get to learn off him and I’m sure it will be great for him too. Everybody loves it when they come into this England team environment and I’m sure he’ll be no different. Over the next week there will be plenty of laughs inside there.’
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