Flintoff let me down

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Fiza

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Posted: 18 years ago

Flintoff let me down - Fletcher

Flintoff enjoys a soft drink in the West Indies

Former England coach Duncan Fletcher says Andrew Flintoff "let him down" with his World Cup drinking antics. Flintoff fell off a pedalo and was one of six England players fined following a drinking session after England's defeat to New Zealand in St Lucia. The all-rounder had also been warned as to his future conduct during the Ashes defeat when he was England's captain. And Fletcher told the Daily Mail: "I supported Andrew but he let me down in an area that he had real control over."

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It is now quite clear that Flintoff was made captain of England for the wrong reasons

Flintoff captained England to a 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia in the absence of Michael Vaughan. And he was sacked as England vice-captain at the World Cup and banned for a game after the pedalo incident following the six-wicket defeat to New Zealand. England then failed to progress beyond the Super Eight stage at the World Cup in the West Indies, prompting Fletcher to resign.

I spent two years (coaching) in county cricket and I'd like to do that again

Duncan Fletcher

"I've supported a lot of players but Andrew drank again at the World Cup after what had happened in Australia while I was taking a pasting," Fletcher continued. "I don't regret making him captain. "The problem was, in the absence of Vaughan, there were so many unknowns. "It's fascinating to wonder how good (Andrew) Strauss might have been as captain. "But an imponderable is, how bad might Fred (Flintoff) have been with the whole drinking thing if he hadn't had the responsibility of the captaincy? And would he have taken Steve Harmison with him?" The Zimbabwe-born coach is also hoping for a return to county cricket, having been at Glamorgan before taking up his post with England. "I spent two years in county cricket and I'd like to do that again," he said. "I think I have become a hell of a better coach since my time at Glamorgan and I know how to handle situations better. "Having gained the experience I gained with England, it would be nice to go back and put into practice what I perceive to be missing in county cricket."