Glamorgan chief supports Ganguly

An already harried Ganguly could have done without Flintoff having a fling at him © Getty Images Enlarge

Sourav Ganguly has received the backing of Glamorgan's chairman, Paul Russell, after critical comments were published in Andrew Flintoff's autobiography, Being Freddie. In the book, which came out on Thursday, Flintoff criticizes Ganguly for a lack of professionalism, but Russell says he had a very positive experience of Ganguly when the Indian captain was at Glamorgan this summer.

"Ganguly is an outstanding professional," said Russell, "who settled into the team and worked hard on and off the field. He always came to team practice on time and did whatever he was told to do. He was very regular for training. I personally drove him to the gym when he had joined us."

Russell expressed surprise about Flintoff's critical remarks, saying: "There was never any attitude problem and he was very positive. We still discuss about him. I am surprised at the comments made by Flintoff. In fact, we have the opposite image of Ganguly of what Flintoff has written. There was no hint of anything of what Flintoff has said. He was very friendly with the other team members and used to often go out with them for dinner."

In his book, Flintoff claimed Ganguly behaved like royalty when they both played for Lancashire: "It was like having Prince Charles on your side." Flintoff added that Ganguly's approach was not always in tune with Lancashire. "On the first day of every championship season, you turn up in your blazer and tie and after that we are expected to dress smart-casual.

"He wore his tracksuit on the first day and sometimes he would turn up in his whites and go home in them, just to get out of the place as quickly as possible. Even when we did try and make him feel at home by going out for dinner he left early."

Flintoff also mentions an incident in Ganguly's first match at Kent when he got out first ball lbw to Mark Ealham. "He came in not looking that bothered and we heard that Paul Nixon, the Kent wicket-keeper, had said something to him along the lines of `hard luck, first ball and all that'. Ganguly turned around and told him, `I'm not going to waste my runs on these games. I'll save them for when it matters'. That's fine if he wants to be like that, but then why bother coming to Lancashire - he doesn't need the money".