Flintoff close to signing a deal with Brisbane Heat

Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is close to signing a deal with Brisbane Heat for the Australian Twenty20 Big Bash tournament.

Flintoff came out of retirement this summer when he played for Lancashire and is now belatedly realising his ambition of becoming a roving Twenty20 freelancer, according to The Daily Telegraph Tuesday.

Brisbane Heat are coached by Flintoff's former Lancashire teammate Stuart Law, who has been closely involved in persuading him to play in Queensland.

At Old Trafford last week, Michael Cairns, the chairman of Lancashire, confirmed that Flintoff is still training in an attempt to keep up his fitness levels after the end of the English season.

Since playing for Lancashire he has worked on a television programme for 'Sky' called Lord of the Fries, which involved driving a fish and chip van across the country.

If things materialise, Flintoff will join former teammate captain Kevin Pietersen, who plays for Melbourne Stars, in the Big Bash League.