Flintoff begins recovery from surgery

The England allrounder Andrew Flintoff has undergone surgery to his injured right knee and is expected to be on crutches for a minimum of six weeks.

Flintoff, who retired from Test cricket after England's victorious Ashes campaign which culminated in a 197-run win over Australia at The Oval, underwent a routine arthroscopy and micro-fracture to two small areas in his right knee last night.

The recovery period is expected to be lengthy. Prior to the operation, Flintoff identified England's one-day series against Bangladesh next February as a realistic goal to recover from this latest surgery. And despite this latest setback, he remains determined to become the best one-day cricketer in the world.

"The recovery will require him to be non weight-bearing for the first six to eight weeks post surgery," the ECB said. "At the end of this six-to-eight-week period, the knee will be reviewed by his surgeon and the timescale for ongoing rehabilitation further determined."

Flintoff ended his Test career by helping England beat Australia in the fifth and final Test, clinching the series 2-1 and regaining the Ashes.