Lord's cricket ground, London, 20 July 2009: 'Freddie' Flintoff, unable to dress himself in the morning due to the searing pain from a chronic knee injury, manfully toils away for two hours, hurling 90mph balls at a succession of Australian batsmen until England defeat their arch-rivals at Lord's for the first time in 75 years. The victory sets them up for a second straight home 'Ashes' series win and, without Flintoff, it would never have happened.
The 360 Bar, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, 16 March 2010: Andrew Flintoff, arguably the most famous non-footballing British sportsman, is showing me around the city he now calls home. As we talk, a helicopter touches down on the helipad of the resplendent seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel, which sits like an extraordinarily large sailing boat in the middle of the sea opposite us. This is Dubai. But what exactly is Flintoff doing here?
As a direct result of his heroic performance for England eight months previously, the English cricketing god now finds himself living in the mega-rich Gulf city as he recuperates from a second knee operation in the space of four months.
But don't expect Flintoff to be melancholy about the predicament, which has kept him sidelined from cricket for more than six months. With the typical bulldog fighting spirit that has made him the most iconic English player of his generation, and endeared him to millions of cricket fans across the globe, the Lancastrian is upbeat: 'There's nothing I can do about it,' he laughs. 'I'm not someone who feels sorry for myself. It's been a bit tedious but it's all about perspective. I've got a bad knee but it's not life-threatening. I'm trying to get back on the cricket field for fun.'
At 32, Flintoff readily admits he is in the twilight of his career. Consequently, he has retired from playing the longest form of the game, five-day Test cricket, and is now focused on performing at the highest level in cricket's two shorter formats.
'I'm working my way towards playing for Lancashire and I want to force my way back into the England one-day and Twenty20 sides. When I'm fit and playing well, I get in England's best side so I'm going to have to perform. I've just got to get a few runs, get a few out.'
And while he prepares himself for that challenge from his base in Dubai, Flintoff has blossomed into a new man. Gone are his hellraising, alcohol-fuelled days, for which he was almost as renowned as his cricket. 'It was all part of a young lad growing up in the public eye,' says Flintoff. 'Everybody wants you to have regrets but I think some things have made me stronger. Having come out the other side of that, I can pretty much do anything.'
