Cricket.co.uk forum

[O Dogg]

Flintoff has found himself in the papers again for all the wrong reasons. Fined £1000 after missing a team visit to the World War 1 trenches after a night on the booze, just one week before the start of the Ashes.

Has Flintoff been let off the hook? Is he seen as being untouchable?
Discuss!

[O Dogg]

Team director Andy Flower believes England were right not to drop Andrew Flintoff following his latest breach of discipline.

The all-rounder was punished by the England & Wales Cricket Board after missing the team bus for a trip to World War I graveyards in Belgium last week.

But despite the latest breach of discipline, Flower has endorsed the decision not to axe Flintoff from the squad for next week's first Ashes Test.

"What I will say is that this particular situation was not a big enough thing for me to drop Andrew Flintoff," he told The Times.

"No way was it a serious enough issue to do that - to finish someone's career. I'm very clear in my own mind about that.

"But if a difficult decision has to be made, we will make a difficult decision.

"But, you know, those are often not the most difficult decisions because if someone transgresses seriously enough in your judgement, it becomes a simple decision - you just do it because it is the right thing to do for the team.

"All the decisions we make are in the best interests of the England cricket team. There are no hidden agendas at all - it's simple."

Would a less popular player have received the same treatment? After reading the above from Andy Flower, I think it is clear that the decision was made in the best interest of England Cricket Team.

Do you agree that this was the right thing to do?

[YoBBo]

He is most certainly not untouchable in my opinion. His bowling is usually spot on but alot of the time his batting leaves alot to be desired. Also if you add to that the constant breaches of team rules then they definately have the right to drop him. Although I don't think they should drop him unless there is someone to step into his shoes. At the moment he deserves his place even though he missed that trip to visit the memorial thing.

[O Dogg]

Do you feel that had it been someone who was not so important to the England team, they would have come down harder on that player?

[YoBBo]

They most probably would of but it's wrong to treat anyone differently purely becuase one is a better cricketer than the other.

[ming]

a forceful style, It's great.
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