KEY POINTS:
GROS ISLET, St Lucia - England's former captain Nasser Hussain led a chorus of disapproval after Andrew Flintoff's late-night drinking escapade led to his dismissal on Sunday as their World Cup vice-skipper.
The 29-year-old was also suspended for their Group C clash with Canada on this morning (NZ time) which they needed to win to avoid elimination from the tournament at the group stage.
British newspapers had reported that Flintoff was seen inebriated in the small hours of Sunday morning having lost to New Zealand the day before. Reports said he had to be rescued from the sea after falling off a pedalo.
According to a furious Hussain, captain of England between 1999 and 2003, this was not the first time Flintoff had run into trouble for his drinking.
"There is a history to this story. It is not the first time. In Australia he had three or four warnings about his drinking," Hussain said on Sky Sports while commentating at the ground.
"Is that the best preparation to go out drinking till 3 am in this heat? I say well done England finally for having strong management.
"This is a pretty young side and a lot of the team look up to someone like Flintoff. If you keep as a management saying it's okay for Freddie because he can handle it then all the others think 'well, if Freddie's doing it, I can'.
"He's dragged out six or seven (other players). That's why the others haven't been done (dropped). They've been fined because it's their first warning.
"This will now send a message to the others that this is not how you prepare as an England cricketer. This is not the way we do things."
Another former England skipper, Bob Willis, was similarly critical of arguably the best player the country has seen in the past 15 years.
"I think Freddie has been making a fool of himself since the celebrations of the 2005 Ashes," Willis told Sky Sports.
"This is not the first time it has happened and I fear it won't be the last but I hope he can actually take stock of himself.
"He can't behave like that. Some of the players in the squad are only going to have one opportunity to play in a World Cup and they don't need their talisman behaving like that."
Flintoff's former England team mate Andrew Caddick added: "To be out till three or four o'clock after a match in which you have lost -- you should be back at the hotel thinking about what has gone wrong, not out gallivanting round enjoying yourself.
"This is a World Cup and you should be doing everything as a player to enhance your performance, not going out nightclubbing during the actual tournament."
Flintoff did receive support, though, from his predecessor as England's finest all-rounder, Ian Botham.
"I'm laughing, I think it's quite amusing. I think it's a total over reaction," he told Sky Sports.
"There's 24 hours until the next game, people react in different ways. Some guys go to bed at 10.30 tired and frustrated, other guys go and have a drink. I really don't care.
"The big mistake is getting caught. And also, did all the team get locked up in 2005 when they won the Ashes? Or was it alright then?"
- REUTERS
