Flintoff proves his bowling worth

Just how good is Andrew Flintoff ? At 140-6, needing 33 runs to win off just 16 balls, the West Indies were knocking down the door at England. Denesh Ramdin was thick edging for four, there were singles everywhere and the game looked to be headed right down to the thinnest of wires. Step forward, Freddie. Probably one of the best death bowlers in the world right now, Flintoff fired out Ramdin with a fast leg stump yorker. That alone may have ended the host’s pursuit but it wasn’t enough for Flintoff. He then trapped LBW new man Ravi Rampaul with a quick, full delivery before achieving both his hat trick and a five-wicket haul with another yorker to Sulieman Benn.

Flintoff, tired, battle hardened and at the end of a long, long tour, had won the game and, more importantly, the series for England in the space of three balls. His nonchalant celebration upon bowling Benn did a fine job of hiding the jubilation he was likely feeling inside. Injuries and defeat had ravaged Flintoff’s tour to the point where Kevin Pietersen was probably not alone in wanting to head home as soon as possible. His batting has come in for more criticism after, one innings aside, a painfully lean period. But his bowling is an impossibly vital component in England’s one day planning. He is frighteningly accurate, has the ability to mix up his pace to confuse the batsman and take crucial wickets when needed. The man really is worth his weight in gold.

He becomes the third Englishman to take a hat trick in one day cricket. The other two? You’d hardly believe it. James Anderson and Steve Harmison. The next time England are getting carted to all corners of the ground in a one day match, will you honestly believe that three of the bowlers on display have one day hat tricks to their names?

(The Corridor, 2009)