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| Flintoff promises he won't snub England |
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| Andrew Flintoff |
Andrew Flintoff insists England will always come first for him - ahead of the Indian Premier League and all other franchise contracts the world over.
Flintoff, no longer a centrally-contracted player following his decision to turn down an England and Wales Cricket Board incremental deal, is hoping to be fit after his latest knee operation in time for next spring's IPL.
The 32-year-old, who retired from Test cricket four months ago, nonetheless insists he would never put any Twenty20 franchise opportunity ahead of his country.
Asked in next month's edition of the Wisden Cricketer whether he could ever do so, he said: "Would I heck, no.
"I would never turn down England...I have shown more than enough passion over the years, and that's not something you lose because I don't have a contract.
"If I didn't think I was going to play for England again, I would not have had this latest operation, no way. It is all about playing for England.
"My intentions are to play every one-day and Twenty20 game for England. It is never going to be a case of picking and choosing."
Flintoff is still hoping too that some of his best years, as a limited-overs cricketer, are ahead of him.
"I'm not sure I have even played my best yet, especially in one-day cricket - so now I am having this break I think I have got the chance to get better as a player," the all-rounder reasons.
"I am not going to just get by. I genuinely think I can now play my best ever cricket."
Flintoff hopes his cricketing future can take him all over the world. "I want to play for England and Lancashire; I've got my contract with Chennai - and now I have the opportunity to play around the world as well," he said.
"I'm really keen to play in Australia, which has always been an ambition of mine. When I'm fit again I would love to play in their Big Bash Twenty20 competition."
- Cricket365
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