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Andrew Flintoff calls it a day

— PHOTO: AP

IMPACT PLAYER:England's Andrew Flintoff announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Thursday.

LONDON: Andrew Flintoff announced on Thursday that he would be retiring from all forms of cricket as he admitted defeat in his battle against a persistent right knee injury.

“It is with both disappointment and sadness that I am today (Thursday) announcing my retirement from all forms of cricket,” former England captain Flintoff said in a statement released by his agent, International Sports Management (ISM).

“The decision to end my career came yesterday (Wednesday) after consultation with medical advisers,” added the 32-year-old allrounder, who quit the Test format after helping England regain the Ashes last year.

“I was told that the problems I have been trying to overcome in rehab for the last year following the latest in a series of operations would not recover sufficiently to allow a comeback.

“Having been told that my body would no longer stand up to the rigours of cricket, I had no alternative but to retire.

“I would like to thank my family, Lancashire Cricket Club, England, all my sponsors, friends and advisers for all the help and support they have given me throughout my career.

“Last, but by no means least, I am indebted to the encouragement and support I have always received from England's magnificent supporters.”

Flintoff, who has been widely tipped to follow the path of fellow ex-England skippers Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan by pursuing a media career, added: “I will now be taking a break before deciding which future direction to take.”

England captain Andrew Strauss, who played alongside Flintoff, paid tribute to the ‘ultimate impact cricketer'.

“I would just like to say on behalf of the England team we would like to congratulate Andrew on an outstanding career,” Strauss, speaking at The Oval ahead of the fifth One-Day International against Pakistan at the south London ground on Friday, said.

“The impact he has had on English cricket has been immense.” — AFP

Corrections and Clarifications

The Sport Page report, “Andrew Flintoff calls it a day” (September 17, 2010), said England captain Andrew Strauss paid tribute ahead of the 5 th ODI. It should have been the 3 rd ODI.

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