10 Great Moments in Andrew Flintoff's England Career

Perhaps more than any other cricketer of his generation, the impact of Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff's career went far beyond the list of his achievements and his statistical record. 

Indeed, summing up the Englishman's career in such a manner would only tell half of the story. For Flintoff was so much more than that. 

He was an entertainer, a showman, a talisman; an endearing character who won over the hearts of cricket lovers around the world for the way his brilliance was mixed with laughter, cheekiness, an indomitable will, a colossal presence and sincere compassion for his opponents. 

He became an icon, a player who propelled cricket to the forefront of English sport with a swagger that was irresistible. 

Today, on his 37th birthday, we count down Freddie's 10 greatest moments. 

10. Sledging Tino Best (Lord's 2004)

Not all of Andrew Flintoff's finest moments for England came with the bat or ball in hand. 

Indeed, the first on our list is Freddie's most notable and world renowned sledge directed at the West Indies' Tino Best at Lord's in 2004. 

Best, who was never short of a word himself for opposing batsmen when bowling, was facing up to England spinner Ashley Giles on Day 5 when Flintoff, standing at slip, said: "Watch the windows, Tino!"

Unable to contain himself, Best charged down the wicket to attempt a wild heave, only to miss the ball completely and be stumped by Geraint Jones.

All the windows remained intact. 

9. Hat-Trick vs. West Indies (St Lucia, 2009)

Even in the twilight of his career, there were fleeting moments when Flintoff was still capable of conjuring something special. 

One such occasion came in a one-day international against the West Indies in St Lucia in 2009, when the England star dismantled the home side in their chase of 173 with figures of 5 for 19. 

Included in that tally was a stunning hat-trick, in which he claimed the wickets of Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul and Sulieman Benn—the latter dismissed by a trademark yorker. 

His stance upon claiming the hat-trick—hands on hips, leant to one side and looking to the sky—was typical of England's great showman. 

8. 167 vs. West Indies (Edgbaston, 2004)

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Simply put, Edgbaston became Freddie's temple. The home of his greatest triumphs, it was uncanny how the Test ground in Birmingham consistently witnessed Flintoff at his unique best. 

Among the more memorable occasions was his stunning 167 against the West Indies (he grew a habit for tormenting the men from the Caribbean) in 2004 that included 17 fours and seven towering sixes, one of which was famously dropped by his father in the crowd. 

The knock, which became the highest of his international career, cemented his reputation as a truly world-class all-rounder after years of underachievement with the bat in hand. 

7. 9 Sixes Across 2 Innings vs. Australia (Edgbaston, 2005)

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Coming in a game remembered as perhaps the greatest Test match in history, Flintoff's performance against Australia at Edgbaston in 2005 catapulted him to the pinnacle of the sport. 

It was a five-day display that transcended the game, instantly seeing him take on an iconic status in England and around the world. 

Part of his stunning performance came with the bat, as he clubbed nine sixes across two innings (the fourth-highest number ever struck by one player in a Test match) to take apart an Australian bowling attack deflated by the absence of Glenn McGrath. 

6. Dismantling Jacques Kallis (Edgbaston, 2008)

We really weren't kidding about the Edgbaston thing. Not at all. 

For the ground in Birmingham was the site of another of Flintoff's defining performances in 2008, when he won an unforgettable duel with South African great, Jacques Kallis. 

The other dominant all-rounder in world cricket at the time, Kallis had worked his way to 64 as the visitors set about establishing a first-innings lead. 

But the South African's progress was brought to an abrupt halt by Flintoff, who delivered a breathtaking over of fearsome fast bowling that culminated with the wicket of Kallis, who had his stumps utterly destroyed by England's leading star. 

5. 5-Wicket Haul vs. Australia (Lord's, 2009)

By the time the 2009 Ashes series arrived, everything was hurting for Flintoff. Years of fast bowling with a bulky frame had taken a heavy toll on his body and had gradually disintegrated his knees and ankles. 

Though he was still capable of conjuring the odd herculean effort, Freddie at his best was becoming an increasingly infrequent sight. 

And it was at Lord's in the second Test of the 2009 Ashes series where England's showman put on his last dominant performance, claiming 5 for 92 while defying his aching body in Australia's second innings to deliver a resounding victory and a series lead for the hosts. 

It was a lead Australia couldn't overcome. 

4. Run out of Ricky Ponting (The Oval, 2009)

If Flintoff had entered the 2009 Ashes series with a crumbling body, he completed it at The Oval with a completely destructed one. 

Having sat out the fourth Test at Headingley in order to save himself for one last effort, Flintoff couldn't recapture the spark that had made him one of the sport's great Ashes heroes as he bowled 25 overs across two innings for just one wicket. 

But the standout English player of his generation had one last act up his sleeve. 

With Australia rolling along in their second innings at 217-2, Flintoff swooped on a ball at mid-on struck by Michael Hussey before throwing the stumps down at the striker's end to run out the great Ricky Ponting for 66. 

It was the turning point.

From there, Australia collapsed to 348 all out and England reclaimed the Ashes in Flintoff's last international appearance.   

3. That Over (Edgbaston, 2005)

For cricketing purists, the 2005 Ashes series in England was sheer unadulterated bliss. It was cricket at a pinnacle that had never previously been reached. 

Flintoff, the hosts' biggest star, was at the centre of it. 

And it was during the most dramatic point of the contest, the second Test at Edgbaston, where Freddie made his mark when delivering one of the finest overs ever seen in Test cricket. 

Bowled at extreme pace, Flintoff forced Justin Langer to chop-on to his own stumps with his second delivery, before turning the heat up on Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

The first ball to Ponting—the over's third—drew a strong lbw shout that umpire Billy Bowden turned down; the next saw the Australian squirt a rising ball short of gully; the fifth produced another lbw appeal with a vicious in-swinger; the sixth was a no-ball that prolonged the drama before an unplayable seventh ball saw Ponting caught behind to one of the biggest roars world cricket has ever heard. 

2. Consoling Brett Lee (Edgbaston, 2005)

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If his heroics in the second Test of the 2005 Ashes series at Edgbaston hadn't already been enough, Flintoff ended the match by adding to his legend when producing one of the most touching moments in cricket history. 

Having just seen the wicket of Michael Kasprowicz fall to hand England the most dramatic two-run victory in perhaps the greatest Test match of all, Flintoff walked over to the non-striker's end, bent down and consoled Australia's Brett Lee with a warm, sincere handshake and knowing look that said it all. 

It was the defining image of the greatest series ever played. 

1. Drunk Freddie

"Surely off-field antics can't rank as No. 1?" you might be inclined to ask. 

But they can. And in Flintoff's case, they should. 

For what made Freddie such an endearing and captivating character was the sense that he was just a big kid who simply wanted to have a laugh with his mates. 

His feats on the field might have been incredible, but Flintoff was the people's champion because everyone saw a part of themselves in him. 

So when he famously stumbled around drunk the morning after England's Ashes-winning celebrations in 2005, Freddie became a true icon, transcending a sport and propelling himself into mainstream popular culture.