Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is certainly a big fan of Manchester United legend Phil Neville as the 42-year-old recently said that the footballer could have been country’s Sachin Tendulkar or Ricky Ponting if he had pursued cricket. Interestingly Flintoff and Neville were team-mates in Lancashire’s county cricket team, and though both of them went to achieve success in their respective fields, the former believes that Phil could have easily been one of the top cricketer’s. Ricky Ponting Picks Andrew Flintoff’s Over From 2005 Ashes Test Series As Best He Faced.

‘He (Phil) was a year older than me and he was a cricketing genius,’ Andrew Flintoff said during an interview with talkSPORT. ‘This is a big call, but if he had carried on playing cricket he could have been England’s Ricky Ponting or Sachin Tendulkar. He was that good. He used to turn up, open the batting and score a hundred every time he batted, and then he’d bowl everyone out. He was a quick bowler and he got offered a contract at Lancashire - I think £2,500 was the wage - or go play at United.’ He added. Andrew Flintoff Reveals Wife Rachael Wools Secretly Gave Birth to Baby Boy at Christmas.

Flintoff also said that Phil’s brother Gary – his teammate at Manchester United – played cricket as well and considered himself the best. ‘Gary played as well and if you listen to Gary he was the best cricketer who ever walked the earth, He’d have made a good club cricketer at Bolton,’ said the England all-rounder. ‘But Phil was the one who was amazing and such a good lad as well.’ Flintoff added.

Andrew Flintoff is considered by many as one of the country’s greatest all-rounders while Phill Neville along with his brother Gary went on to win six Premier League titles in the legendary Manchester United side, managed by Sir Alex Ferguson.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2020 08:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).