The Hindu : Sport : Blame it on Freddie: Vaughan

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Wednesday, Jun 06, 2007
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Blame it on Freddie: Vaughan

He is fantastic for team spirit: Moores

— Photo: AP

CAPTAIN'S COMMENT: England's Michael Vaughan has taken a dig at Andrew Flintoff.

LONDON: England captain Michael Vaughan has blamed all-rounder Andrew Flintoff for upsetting team spirit and derailing England's World Cup campaign, The Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Vaughan said `Freddie' Flintoff's drunken antics in the West Indies, where he had to be rescued from a capsized pedalo boat, led to a drop in morale.

``We arrived at the World Cup in a positive frame of mind,'' the paper quoted Vaughan as saying.

``But unfortunately incidents happened which affected the team. You have to be honest, the Fredalo incident did affect the team. It did affect morale.''

Vaughan said the players did not dare go out and enjoy themselves after the incident.

``We just started taking it all too seriously. That might sound silly but everyone was too tense and desperate. There was no escape,'' Vaughan said.

Flintoff was stripped of the vice-captaincy after the incident. England was eliminated at the Super Eights stage of the World Cup, failing to reach the semifinals.

Vaughan also said he had to take some blame for England's failure because he was so tense after missing the crushing Ashes defeat in Australia through injury, a series in which Flintoff deputised as captain.

Flintoff is now recovering from surgery and may be out of action most of the home season. England is 1-0 up after two Tests of a four-match series against West Indies and next host India.

Vaughan said he had been sending text messages to Flintoff since the operation.

Out of order

England captain Michael Vaughan was branded ``despicable'' by Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes on Tuesday for going public with criticism of all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.

An angry Cumbes, who watched Flintoff rise through the Lancashire ranks, before going on to England honours, told reporters at Old Trafford here Wednesday that it was Vaughan who had now damaged team spirit.

``I think it is completely out of order, I think it's despicable, I think it stinks against a guy (Flintoff) who has given blood for England these past three or four years.''

Cumbes added: ``He was the talisman in the Ashes series in 2005 (where Flintoff's heroics with both bat and ball played a central role in England's first Test series win against Australia for 19 years).

``This fella has given blood for England and I think it is appalling he's been treated in this fashion.

``You don't blast it out across the airwaves or into newspapers, particularly if it's something like this. You help your mates, you don't shoot them down.''

Cumbes contrasted Vaughan's behaviour with that of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, known for ensuring his criticisms of players stay in-house at the footballing Old Trafford.

Coach's view

England coach Peter Moores tried to play down talk of a row by saying: ``I wasn't around at the time and I can only comment on what I see and at the moment we have a buzz going in the dressing room, which is fantastic.

``Fred is fantastic for team spirit. The passion he brings to playing for England lifts everybody. Michael knows that and they've been through a lot together, they are mates and that's the most important thing.''

Vaughan, after being sidelined from Test cricket for 18 months because of injury, marked his return to the five-day game by scoring a century in England's second Test innings victory at his Headingley home ground. — Agencies

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