Best bowling performances of Andrew Flintoff

We will look at the best bowling performances of Andrew Flintoff. ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, considered as one of the best modern day all-rounders, recently made a comeback to competitive cricket. Besides being capable of using the long handle, he is very effective with the ball in hand.

#5 2 for 15 v India

The World Cup 2003 league match between India and England is still remembered for Ashish Nehra’s 6 for 23 or for that blistering pull by Sachin Tendulkar to send the short one from Andrew Caddick off the park.

Amidst all these, Andrew Flintoff’s outstanding spell of fast bowling went in vain. When Indian batsmen were going all guns blazing, Flintoff was the one who stepped up to bring the game back to balance. He bowled superbly and gave away only 15 runs in his quota of 10 overs and also took the two all-important wickets of Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.

Not only this he also scored 64 coming down the order.

#4 4 for 21 v New Zealand

England were down and out after the Ashes debacle in 2007, and Andrew Flintoff, after the 5-0 whitewash, was seeking first English win as a skipper on the tour to Australia. He led from the front with a four-wicket haul, a spell that conceded only 21 runs. He was bowling sharp and with utmost zeal. James Anderson and Jon Lewis also bowled well along with him, but his figures stood tall. However, all those efforts went in vain, as England lost by 90 runs chasing a mere 211.

#3 5 for 92 v Australia

A five-wicket haul at the Lord’s in Ashes to seal the match: what could be better than this? Into the last day of the second Ashes Test in 2009, Andrew Flintoff cleaned up the Australian tail by beating Peter Siddle with an incoming delivery. Bowling a non-stop spell of 10 overs, he took 3 of the 5 Australian wickets that fell on the last day. He bowled superbly in the innings to give England a memorable victory.

#2 5 for 19 v West Indies

The series was level at 2-2 with the last ODI all set to seal the fate. Andrew Flintoff became the man of the hour and bagged a 5-wicket haul, which included a hat-trick to wrap up the series in favour of England. This was the first English ODI series triumph in Caribbean islands. His hat-trick victims included Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul and Suleimann Benn.

#1 5 for 78 v Australia

Australia had to win the last Test to draw the Ashes series in 2005. The visiting team needed to post a big total in reply to England’s 373, and they were looking all set to do so. The opening pair of Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden gave a solid start with their 185-run opening stand, but, after the departure of Langer, Flintoff stole the show. Flintoff ended the innings with a five-wicket haul, which included big scalps like Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Simon Katich.