Freddie Flintoff's son follows in dad's footsteps in first game for England

24 June 2024 , 23:29

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Rachael Flintoff drops off her son Rocky for his first game as an England cricketer (Image: PA)

Rachael Flintoff looks like any other mum dropping her child off at cricket practice – she even has to take her turn carrying the kit bag.

But yesterday was not an ordinary day for the Flintoffs – it was the day Rocky, 16, followed in his father’s footsteps by playing for England.

And just like his dad, Ashes hero Andrew, Rocky rose to the occasion smashing 106 as England Under 19s beat a Young Lions Invitational XI in a warm-up ahead of their series against Sri Lanka, which starts on Friday.

On the other side was Archie Vaughan, son of Michael, who was England’s captain in the 2005 Ashes series.

Rocky batting during the warm-up match (PA)

The U19s were playing the Young Lions Invitational XI (PA)

Rocky signed his first professional contract with Lancashire earlier this month. He said: “I’m very happy. It’s something that I’ve been working towards since I started playing cricket, so to sign for my home county is a dream come true.”

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His brother Corey, 18, has also played for Lancashire’s 2nd XI. Proud mum Rachael, 46, cheered Rocky on at the Haslegrave ground in Loughborough, Leics, yesterday – but Andrew, known as Freddie, is in the Caribbean coaching England ahead of their T20 World Cup semi-final on Thursday.

Rocky signed his first professional contract with Lancashire earlier this month (PA)

The 46-year-old is still recovering from a serious injury he sustained while filming Top Gear in December 2022. A second series of his BBC cricket show, Field of Dreams, has been filmed.

Nicola Methven