The pitfalls of a freelance Freddie

Andrew Flintoff's rejection of an England contract and his decision to become a freelance player is a worrying move, writes David Hopps in the Guardian.

His decision leaves a lot of questions unanswered. If Flower wants a week's get-together at Loughborough ahead of a one-day series, will Flintoff feel obliged to attend? If England do not monitor his form and fitness, who does?

It might be natural for golfers or tennis players to travel the world on an individualistic search for personal fulfillment. But cricket demands a compromise between individual ambitions and team demands. Any perception that Flintoff had won special privileges would not rest easily in any dressing room.

Prem Panicker, in his blog Smoke Signals, says that Flintoff's decision comes as a consequence of the behaviour of national boards, especially some of the irrational decisions they have made with regards to scheduling. Flintoff, he writes, may have started a trend that could challenge the monopoly held by national boards over their players by way of contracts.

In the Wisden Cricketer, Edward Craig is not concerned that Flintoff has abandoned England for more lucrative options, but is ticked off that Flintoff is pretending he's going freelance for the good of his cricket.

Rubbish. He’s doing it for his bank balance. I don’t mind this, he has as much right as any professional in any industry to pursue lucrative opportunities especially as time runs out. But at least be honest about it and don’t pretend that it is for the good of the country.

He goes on to have a patronising and unnecessary swipe at the England team management: “At this stage of my career I don’t think I need to be told when to play and when to rest.” Watching the Ashes, this is precisely what he needed.

The editor of Wisden Cricketer also has similar sentiments about Freddie turning down the contract.

His comment about wanting to learn about different cricketing cultures (”how they go about their cricket”) is particularly disingenuous. Could he not have done a bit of learning during his 11 years as an England Test cricketer? Seems a bit pointless finding out all about it now.