Former England Cricketer Andrew Flintoff was one of the most talented all-rounders of his time. He was touted as the next Ian Botham. Flintoff represented the England cricket team for over a decade from 1998 to 2009.

Recently, the former England cricketer revealed an interesting incident involving Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan. In a column for the Daily Mail, Andrew Flintoff wrote how lending a bat to Muralitharan got him into trouble with Naseer Hussain.  Flintoff and Muralitharan used to play for the same club, Lancashire and were great friends. In an England vs Sri Lankan series, Naseer Hussain, the then skipper of England had banned English players from talking to Muralitharan.

The night before the match, as Flintoff and Murali were great friends, the duo was having dinner together. This is when Murali asked Flintoff to lend him one of his bats. “‘Fred, I haven’t got any bats left. Can I borrow one of yours?” Murali said as quoted by the Daily Mail.

Remembering Naseer’s ban, Flintoff did not react to the spinner’s question. But Murali again asked in the morning and Flintoff had to give in. He said to Murali, “When we go out to field, go into the England dressing rooms. Just nip in the back door and take one of my bats – but keep the whole thing under your hat.” The Sri Lankan spinner followed Flintoff’s word and quickly took one of his bats.

F****** good bat, Freddie: Muttiah Muralitharan

During the match, England cleaned up the Sri Lankan batting’s top-order and in walked Muttiah Muralitharan with Flintoff’s bat in his hand. The England skipper Nasser Hussain ran up to Flintoff to discuss the bowling plan against the spinner. He insisted that Flintoff bowls short pitch deliveries at him. But the all-rounder believed that he would dismiss Murali with a yorker, and bowled one to him. Murali struck the ball right off the middle of the bat and went to smash the other English bowlers.

This is when Nasser noticed Flintoff’s initials on Murali’s bat. He was red in anger and was “ready to explode”. Meanwhile, Murali walked up to allrounder and the England skipper and said, “F****** good bat, Freddie!” 

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