Lancashire: Hants eye Andy (14 August 1999)

14 August 1999

Lancashire: Hants eye Andy

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Ambitious Hampshire are ready to make Andy Flintoff the country's top paid cricketer, writes Andy Wilson.

Flintoff, hoping for a Test recall today, could net over £100,000 a year if he decides to leave Lancashire at the end of this season and switch to the south coast club, who are also in the bidding for Shane Warne.

Hants cannot make an official move for the 21-year-old powerhouse until he has twice turned down Lancashire's offer of a four year deal. Sussex, who handed Chris Adams a £90,000 deal in 1998, are also watching the situation.

Flintoff, who made his Lancashire debut at the age of 17 after smashing schoolboy batting records, is now the country's hottest property but says: "I have never wanted to play for any other club than Lancashire since I was nine years old."

Lancashire believe he will stay, but they might have to dismantle their carefully built salary structure to keep him.

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (https://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)