Bungee snag behind Flintoff's ECB snub

Published on Thursday 17 September 2009 01:12

ANDREW Flintoff's decision to go freelance was partially taken to allow him to take part in extreme sporting activities such as bungee-jumping, as part of possible television commitments in the future.

Flintoff's manager Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler spoke out to defend his client, insisting the 31-year-old all-rounder did not reject the England and Wales Cricket Board's offer of an incremental contract purely for financial reasons. Chandler told BBC Sport: "There were one or two things in the deal that made it tough to sign.

"I've seen reports he's a mercenary – he's nothing of the sort. There were one or two things in it that made it difficult to sign, like he wouldn't be allowed to participate in dangerous sports – and he's possibly doing a television series in which he may do bungee-jumping."

Flintoff indicated his desire to play on for England in 50 and 20-over cricket when announcing his decision to retire from the Test arena in July, but his decision not to tie himself to an ECB deal will allow him to consider lucrative opportunities in cricket across the globe. Chandler added: "I don't know what was in the ECB's mind when they offered him the contract they did, because they probably must have known that the money wouldn't have made a lot of difference compared to the sums of money he was earning as a Test cricketer.

"But he is going to end up with the odd sponsorship deal that would be possibly conflicting with an England sponsorship deal and he just wants to have the freedom of mind that he can do what he wants to when he wants to."

Meanwhile, the sixth match of the NatWest one-day series takes place at Trent Bridge today, where England will again be without Luke Wright as they seek to prevent the dominant Australians moving one step closer to a humiliating 7-0 whitewash. The all-rounder Wright has been ruled out for the series after he was hit on the big toe by the bowling machine, leaving him needing stitches and sweating on his Champions Trophy spot.

Wright's fitness will be assessed following the seventh match in Durham, with Hampshire skipper Dimitri Mascarenhas standing in for the Sussex man until then.

Should he be ruled out of the trip to South Africa, Mascarenhas is the most obvious like- for-like replacement, although Warwickshire pair Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott may be considered should England choose to shore up the top six.