Before this Ashes series I thought Freddie was only good for cameo performances, then he announced his retirement, and while I didn’t write it, I thought maybe he could do slightly more.
Today he did. Way more.
Australia would have won this test had Harmy, Bresnan or Ronnie Irani been playing.
He was the difference between the sides.
Watching him run in for over after over with a knee that seems to have no cartilage left in it was herculean enough, but then to take the three most important wickets in this innings, and crush the tail was a super human effort.
His spell just seemed obscenely long. After every over I said he must be taken off.
He never was.
You couldn’t really take him off, he was presence.
His knee must now be ratshit, but who cares, he wasn’t ever coming off.
At the other end was a line of faceless imitators.
They were coming in to bowl, but they had no drama, no pulling power, and no personality.
It was all at Freddie’s end.
Swann even took the wickets of the two best batsman.
But it wasn’t the same.
The crowd were shouting Freddie’s name, and they were right to do so.
Being at the ground made you feel like you were at some ancient altar.
It was Freddie’s place; it was Freddie’s game, and fuck you if you didn’t want to bow done before him.
Lord’s was his, and by force of personality and through all pain barriers he was bowling until Australia lost.
That takes a special player.
Sitting, and standing when he took a wicket, in the ground all I could think of was what we had missed from him.
Why had he not had this sense of occasion throughout his whole career, we saw it for 2 years, and only occasionally for the rest of the time.
Because being there, even when your side lost, was fucking amazing.
Sure I am supposed to be disappointed, but fuck me, his energy and power just wins you over.
I almost joined in the super Freddie chants.
That is what the man does to you.
I can only hope test cricket finds someone else like him.
Great piece but I can’t believe there was something UJ thought that he didn’t write.
Ah, brilliant piece.
Fred today had that Warne like ability to win a game with sheer strength of personality. Crap pitches and too much cricket mean its impossible for fast bowlers to be a sustained force at Test level, so today was a special treat.
I think the planets were in just the right alignment.
Sharma for India, I think Broad in 2 years
Spot on — that is why I liked him for man of the match.
Too bloody right, I’d never begrudge losing a match to Fred in that sort of form. At least he has genuine star power.
AndyinBrum, I find the hype around Stuart Broad laughable. Sorry, but I do. Hype is hype. I think he will be a competent player but if he ever has half the presence Freddy has you must be grateful.
he bowled considerably better last series, like Johnson.
neither are the finished article, but Broad is 23 so has plenty of time to develop, does MJ?
He certainly did against the West Indies.
What does Mitchell Johnson have to do with Stuart Broad? I have never thought Mitchell Johnson will be the next Freddy, so what does he have to do with you thinking that Broad will be?
I live in the UK I follow English cricket as much as I do Australian, probably more.
As I said, hype is hype.
[...] team, cricket Leave a Comment England won. Australia didn’t. Andrew Flintoff was magnificent. Ricky Ponting was impressively magnanimous. Magnificent Flintoff [...]
please shut up about broad.
today was about flintoff, and that awful feeling of wondering if you’ll ever see a spell like that again. each delivery was so fucking exciting. i’m not someone whoe believes tests are sacred, but really, days like this, when a fast bowler can keep on bowling without having wides and no-balls and field restrictions to worry about – this was what cricket was meant to be about.
the highlights reel is just flintoff with some swann thrown in. and why not? he didn’t bowl one boring delivery – each one was a joy.
fast bowling – man…
Warne was caught up in it all, too. When Fred took the first wicket bowling like lighning and Johnson came out, he exhorted Flintoff as he steamed in to bowl… ‘Short! Straight at him!’ Warne knew what he wanted him to do to Johnson, and it wasn’t pretty.
Warne has been either sledging or captaining from the commentary it is a scream.
Yes, Freddy was remarkable today. So rarely is he able to perform at that level due to injury. Fantastic that he can still do it.
That is what Test Cricket is all about. Watching Freddy bowl the way he did, great line, great length. Just make the Batsman be in awe, give ‘em nothing. Apart from his South American statue act after each wicket, it was great to watch. Just a shame he has not been able to do it consistently over the past 8 years
Does Rudi also get a credit on the board in the Longroom.
Awsome performance, gotta love Freddie
I even like the statue impersonation- when you perform like that you deserve to celebrate however you like (like Gillespie after his double ton lol)
Some Stats
Over 2 matches –
Hauritz got 9 wickets.
Hilfie got 9 wickets.
Johnson got 8 wickets
Sozzle got 7
Flintoff got 7
Anderson got 6
Swann got 4
Broad got 4
Hauritz had a better economy rate than everyone else. Keeping bagging him Jrod- its’ working
The Aussie bowlers are shit, aren’t they.
Will Fred’s knee recover?
Steve, you forgot Rudi – he got, like what, 6-7 wickets?
Please do not retire from Tests, Freddie. Ignore the limited over shit. Test cricket is what you are made for.
Flintoff to Mhatre: Show me the money!
Flintoff will get a much better book deal if he continues to play test cricket. Problem is, I don’t think he enjoys tests if they are not against Australia.
Samir, I think he only enjoys test matches against Australia in England at that.
In Australia, Freddie just loses the tests 0-5.
I’m sorry JRod, both me and Ms Jamie think freddie is a soccer lout, albeit, not playing soccer.
What is it with the ‘I am a God worship me stance’ stance after every wicket?
Given that, he can bowl.
Test cricket will be the poorer without him. He is a great champion, the likes of which we may not see for some time.
Heir apparent would be Ishant Sharma, who while not as terrifying, has sublime skill and vivacious presence to match. Malinga is another one to watch.
Johnson will become a great cricketer too, but hasn’t the balls.
Freddie was England’s Warnie. Just replace “text sex” with “pedalo”.
Every time he was called upon he would shift the atmos.
Under Vaughan he would be brought on for this exact purpose, and this is why his figures are not that of an opening bowler.
If Freddie was a quitter or money chaser he would have thrown it in years ago. Here’s to one of the best allrounders of the modern era.