Cricket: Former England captain Flintoff retires

LONDON - Andrew Flintoff conceded defeat in his battle to overcome a chronic knee injury Thursday, ending a colourful 15-year cricket career in which he became a national icon by helping England regain the Ashes from Australia in 2005.

The 32-year-old former England captain retired after a rollercoaster career, which started and finished with injury setbacks but featured dominant pace bowling and powerful shotmaking that made him a genuine heir to England's greatest all-rounder Ian Botham.

He decided to quit after visiting a surgeon in Glasgow on Wednesday.

"Having been told that my body would no longer stand up to the rigours of cricket, I had no alternative but to retire," said Flintoff, whose last match came 13 months ago -- a test win against Australia at The Oval in August 2009 that won back the Ashes for England.

Flintoff, who was prone to injuries owing to his heavy frame and the effort he put into his bowling action, underwent micro-fracture surgery on his right knee after that Oval match but hoped to return for the start of this season.

He had a second operation after suffering a setback in his recovery earlier this year, but doctors this week told him he would never recover sufficiently to return to cricket.

"I'm not quite sure it's sunk in," Flintoff told Sky Sports. "I think it's going to take a while. It's going to be difficult, it's something I've done professionally for nearly 17 years. Since I was a kid all I've wanted was to play cricket."

Universally known as "Freddie," the popular Flintoff will be remembered especially for his performances in the 2005 Ashes series, when he scored 402 runs and took 24 wickets in five matches, but also for being a larger-than life character off the pitch and the complete professional on it.

"2005 was his zenith," England captain Andrew Strauss said. "But he was always the ultimate impact cricketer, somebody who on so many occasions stepped up to the plate.

"Because of the way he bowled, and what he put into it, it was probably not as easy for him to get seven-fors and eight-fors. But if you talked to other players around the world, they would always say Andrew was one of the bowlers they least wanted to face -- because he could be so hostile."

He finished his 11-year career with statistics of 226 wickets at 32.78 and 3,845 runs with an average of 31.77.

In 141 one-day internationals, he scored 3,394 runs, three centuries, and took 169 wickets.

Flintoff notched five test centuries -- his highest being 167 versus West Indies at Edgbaston in 2004 -- and took three five-wicket hauls, two of them coming against Australia. He didn't have eye-popping stats but, at his best, he was an inspirational figure.

There were low points. He had a short, unsuccessful spell as England captain that included a 5-0 series defeat to Australia Down Under in 2006-07 and he was stripped of the vice-captaincy and suspended in 2007 after a reported late-night incident during which he fell off a pedalo after a drinking session.

Injury limited his appearances for England and Lancashire over the past three years and he was unable to fulfil a contract to play for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League this year.

"I really thought I'd have another two or three years playing, at Lancashire especially," Flintoff said. "But it's just not to be."

Flintoff will not disappear from the radar. He wants to continue with his television work and also help to coach young players at Lancashire, who he represented for 15 years.

"At this point in my life, I can't wait around forever," Flintoff added on Sky Sports. "I have to focus my energies on something else and start a new career. I'm not going to sit around and feel sorry for myself.

"I want to stay in cricket. Hopefully I'll be involved with Lancashire until the day I die. If I can help young players on an ad hoc basis, I'd love to do that."

- AP