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He's a bit good, isn't he!
Scored runs freely a lot of the season playing for Lancs 2nd XI... Scored a brilliant century for England U19's in a 4 day test against Sri Lanka U19's at Cheltenham, and became the youngest player for England to do so in the process, beating Ian Bell. Became the youngest player ever to represent Lancashire 1st XI in the County Championship too back in August.
And he's just come in at 9 for the England Lions, rescued them from a pretty sultry looking 161-7 and scored a brilliant ton to put the team in a commanding position with 2 days left!
Watching him bat is absolute poetry in motion... All of the flair and the ability with the bat of his father, but seemingly even better temperament and shot selection! When he fills out and starts sending 90+mph rockets down too, he's going to absolutely set the world alight!!!
Yet there are still nay sayers playing the nepotism card for him even getting into the Lancashire or England teams full stop...
What with Archie Vaughan currently captaining the England U19 side too (and doing rather well as a spin bowling all rounder for Somerset), I can't wait for messr's Vaughan and Flintoff to rekindle the family magic in an Ashes series sometime soon, replicating their fathers' achievements in the 2005 Ashes series!
I played age group representative cricket against Flintoff senior.
Fortunately for us, he was long-term injured bowling-wise. But he was a nightmare to bowl at. The second time we'd worked out that he drove straight and hard and pulled anything short. So we bowled back of a length, outside off, and we 'sort of' contained him. But, in doing so, we basically gave up trying to get him out - and we were still going at 6 an over in an era when anything over 4 raised eyebrows. He was a standout talent already aged 14/15.
His lad looks an even better bat right now!
@fenderextender reminds me of a friend who'd played Tim Henman when he had two years on him as a youngster and got whitewashed.
Surely nepotism in sport must be fairly minimal, past coaching from his Dad? Sport works on results, if you get the results you're in, if not there's always someone else ready to show they're better.
Is he BazBall enough though? Like, can he hit a fast 28 at a strike rate of 130 before getting out trying to ramp over 3rd man? For me he looks a bit to conventional...
Nature, Nurture, Nepotism. He'll never escape that surname whilst he remains in cricket and it has to have opened a few doors or at the very least got him noticed. But there has to be a massive dollop of the first two in there as well. Being surrounded by the environment and the world's best players as your dad's mates has to have a positive impact on your mindset.
Oh, and 'Rocky Flintoff' - that's a cool name. You kind of have to be mega to live up to that name.
There is no doubt that his name would have opened a few doors and possibly got him remembered in a selection sheet but cricket isn't a sport where you can hide. If you dont score runs or take wickets, it is very obvious and you wont last long.
cricket isn’t a sport where you can hide. If you dont score runs or take wickets, it is very obvious and you wont last long.
Totally.
Is he BazBall enough though? Like, can he hit a fast 28 at a strike rate of 130 before getting out trying to ramp over 3rd man? For me he looks a bit to conventional…
Depends if he wants to become a dedicated franchise clownshow cricketer or a proper player. But, unless we're talking real dedicated T20 clowns (think Tim David), the ability to play the extravagant shots still comes from a sound basic technique. Not that Tim David plays the innovative shots - he's just a slogger plain and simple.
I'd rather have a young prospect who can make hundreds regularly striking at 80 than blazing 30s at 150. It is a heck of a lot easier going from the former to the latter than vice versa. And, no matter what format you are playing, you can't score runs in the shed. Sam Konstas is a current example. He will end his test career quickly averaging no more than 30 at the rate he's going. V Jaiswal is where you want to pitch yourself if you're going to be a fast-scoring opener who makes more than a fleeting impact on Test or even ODI cricket.
In any case, let's hope young Flintoff keeps his feet on the ground.
Absolutely no idea what any of this means, but I'm assuming the son has some skills and abilities of his own? Which is good...
Is he BazBall enough though? Like, can he hit a fast 28 at a strike rate of 130 before getting out trying to ramp over 3rd man? For me he looks a bit to conventional…
Who cares...? If you're good enough, you're good enough... Joe Root is the best bat in the world still, strike rate of 57... Appreciated it's more like mid 60's strike rate since Bazball, but even still...
I’d rather have a young prospect who can make hundreds regularly striking at 80 than blazing 30s at 150. It is a heck of a lot easier going from the former to the latter than vice versa. And, no matter what format you are playing, you can’t score runs in the shed.
Absolutely 100% this...
Even a 60 strike rate and scoring regular centuries makes you an enviable prospect!
Joe Root is probably still first pick in any test team remember...
Surely nepotism in sport must be fairly minimal, past coaching from his Dad? Sport works on results, if you get the results you’re in, if not there’s always someone else ready to show they’re better.
Agreed... Very little room for nepotism in elite level sport. Sure, I'm sure the surname Flintoff might have meant a couple of doors were already ajar for him that someone else might have had to knock first, but if he wasn't performing, then the next talent would be there waiting to take his place.
Remember that Rocky has an older brother Corey too... Who also plays for Lancashire. Corey is 2 1/2yrs older than his younger brother Rocky, and by all accounts a pretty reasonable fast medium pacer and useful lower order bat... He still hasn't made his 1st XI debut yet and he's going to be 19 soon, when his younger brother Rocky was making his 1st team debut not very long after his 16th birthday!
Oh, and ‘Rocky Flintoff’ – that’s a cool name. You kind of have to be mega to live up to that name.
It's almost like his Dad knew he was destined for greatness! No nickname required here... ??
Absolutely no idea what any of this means, but I’m assuming the son has some skills and abilities of his own? Which is good…
An absolutely exceptional talent... Going on potential alone at such a young age (he's already breaking a lot of his Dad's county records), he really could be the next great England cricket star!