Andrew Flintoff has criticised members of the cricket commentariat who have rushed to condemn Alex Hales since he was dropped from the England squad after testing positive for recreational drugs, insisting that those without close knowledge of the 30-year-old’s personal situation should be wary of wading into a potentially complex issue.
“Everyone is quick to judge him and quick to have their opinions, but I don’t know the lad’s personal position,” said Flintoff. “Rather than a cricketer, we’re talking about a lad here. I think that’s got to be addressed – where he is as a person as opposed to where he is as a cricketer. Once you’ve done that you can make decisions about whether he’s going to play, and when. But there are so many people, players and ex-players, just jumping to conclusions. I’m not going to do that, because I don’t know the circumstances.”
The 41-year-old, whose pedalo-borrowing antics disrupted England’s 2007 World Cup campaign, also dismissed concerns that the England team might have been distracted by any ongoing controversy surrounding Hales during this year’s tournament, which starts on 30 May. Ashley Giles, the managing director of England men’s cricket at the ECB, said the decision to drop the batsman was based on a desire “to ensure the team are free from any distractions and able to focus on being successful on the pitch”.
“Whenever England play sport there is noise around it,” Flintoff insisted. “I never understood it. You’re there to play cricket. You practise hard, you work hard, you get on with it. Your job doesn’t change because someone else is in the dressing room unless it’s an obvious distraction. Especially some of the misdemeanours I got up to – I couldn’t wait to get back on the field. That was my safe place, a cricket field. There’s where I knew I wanted to be, where everything else can look after itself.”
Flintoff said he expects Jofra Archer to claim a place in England’s final squad, having been impressed by the bowler’s first two appearances for his adopted country, in the Twenty20 against Pakistan and an ODI against Ireland last week. “I think he’s brilliant,” he said. “Watching the lad bowl, with so much control, all the tricks – slower balls, bouncers, yorkers – he’s got to be in. Real pace is a massive asset, especially in the middle overs in one-day cricket. It’s good to have that option in your side, a man who can come in and take a wicket when you need it.”
England have never won the World Cup, but are No 1 in the ICC rankings and considered favourites to win the title on home soil this year. “I think England have the best team, but the biggest challenge – and it always has been over a number of years – is when we’re underdogs we’re very good, and then when we’re favourites we bottle it,” said Flintoff, who is an ambassador for the 2019 World Cup. “This time we’re expected to win, and I think dealing with that pressure is going to be the hardest thing. But every challenge for this one-day side so far they seem to take it head on. There are other sides that can win it, but I would not bet against England.”