Fans have been left watching on in disbelief after the son of England cricket legend Andrew Flintoff dominated a 2nd grade County cricket match.
Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff is arguably England’s greatest ever all-rounder, up there with Ben Stokes and Ian Botham.
A destructive batsman, a match-changing, 145km-plus bowler all with the safest hands in the business.
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But now England cricket fans are dreaming of a Flintoff 2.0 after Freddie’s 16-year-old son – representing his old man’s former county, Lancashire – tore bowlers to pieces on Thursday.
Teenager Rocky, who only turned 16 11 days ago, was turning out for his county’s 2nd XI against Durham when he left supporters rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
Coming in at No. 5, Rocky hit a sublime, 78-ball half-century and ended unbeaten on 50 not out.
You can watch Rocky’s highlights in the video below
But that wasn’t what tugged at the emotions of the Lancashire and England faithful.
It wasn’t even the fact he crushed three monster sixes.
No, instead it was the manner in which he thumped the red ball over the rope.
Freddi Flintoff was famous for his short-arm pull and hook shots – none more famous than his attempts off Brett Lee way back in 2005, when he even took his eye off the ball storming towards his head at near-160kph speeds to add six more to the runs column.
And, incredibly, it seems he’s been teaching Rocky his signature shot.
The 16-year-old looked every inch his old man as fans were left with their jaws on the floor.
Taking to X, one wrote: “Those shots look familiar.”
Another pointed out: “Literally his dad’s pull shot.”
A third posted: “Uncanny look of his dad’s best shot.”
One asked: “Wow double of his dad… can he bowl?”
Well, he didn’t in this match. But guess who did?
Big brother Corey, 18, also played in the game and bowled four overs in Durham 2nd XI’s first innings and, despite failing to trouble the wickets column, conceding just 19 runs.
Coming in at No10, he scored a quickfire nine off 12 balls – briefly batting alongside his younger sibling.
With the weather intervening, the match was eventually rained off as a draw.
But England and Lancashire fans alike caught a glimpse of something magical.. and, hopefully, a sign of things to come.
Who knows, Freddie himself could be commentating on his sons one day?
The cricket legend has always been eyed up by broadcasters to do more TV work.
Flintoff has endured months of agony recovering from his crash on the BBC One’s Top Gear – which left him with “life-altering” injuries, including scars on his face.
But he’s defied the odds to take on multiple coaching roles in cricket, including with England’s senior team and The Hundred.
Earlier this week, The Sun exclusively revealed Flintoff would return to our screens for a third season of his hit show Field Of Dreams.
Freddie has just wrapped filming series two in India, which could air later this year or early in 2025.
Then he will find another group of wannabe cricketers to star in the third outing, expected to shoot this autumn and expected to air in 2026.
It’s believed rival broadcasters want to sign Flintoff up, but they’ll face competition from his first love, cricket.
England supremo Rob Key even revealed he would be “stupid” to not consider Freddie for England’s head coach role one day.
Flintoff has already mentored England’s white-ball side and he will lead Northern Superchargers in The Hundred this summer.
The cricketing legend has been inked in to assist Matthew Mott at the T20 World Cup in June.
– This article first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission