Andrew Flintoff could turn down an England contract in order to play more domestic twenty20 cricket. The burly Lancastrian, who is currently on crutches recovering from knee surgery, retired from Test cricket at the end of the recent Ashes series but was due to continue with England in limited-overs cricket.
However, the 31-year-old is keen to play twenty20 cricket in domestic leagues worldwide and could turn down an ECB contract in order to do so, threatening his International future.
The all-rounder will spend the next few days in Dubai discussing with his agent whether or not to sign the ECB deal.
Chandler told the Observer newspaper that Flintoff would play for Chennai Super Kings in next spring’s Indian Premier League, while pursuing deals with domestic teams in Australia, South Africa and the West Indies.
However, that sort of schedule would restrict the number of appearances he could reasonably be expected to make for England as they look to build a team capable of challenging for the 2011 World Cup. If he refuses to sign his ECB deal, he would effectively become a freelance cricketer – and the first English player to do so, since the central contract system was drawn up back in 1999.
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