Ex-England great Botham says Flintoff making 'massive mistake' in coming back to play county cricket

Former England Test cricketer and captain Sir Ian Botham has said that the ex all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was making a 'massive mistake' as he is coming back to play Twenty20 county cricket after five years of retirement.

Flintoff, who is a pace bowling all-rounder and former England captain like Botham, had reportedly retired forcefully through injury in 2009, and his ankles and knees have repeatedly been suffering from the pounding they took as he charged in.

According to Sport24, Botham said that while he wishes Flintoff the very best, he feels that the all-rounder is making a massive mistake, adding that they have not seen him on cricket field since those memorable days in 2009, and five years is a long time out of the game.

Botham said that for those who cannot remember that far back, Flintoff had no choice but to quit cricket because of a chronic knee injury hat had made walking difficult let alone bowling at 90 miles an hour.

Botham added that unless Flintoff has managed to swap knees with someone, he does not know how it has suddenly got better, allowing him to tear in and play the game properly.

Botham further added that to come back after five years out of the game and with that injury still in the background is a huge risk.

Flintoff is set to make his comeback to county cricket with Lancashire against arch-rivals Yorkshire in the Twenty20 Blast clash as the club announced on Friday that the all-rounder was now a member of their squad, the report added.