Andrew Flintoff has revealed how former Manchester United star Phil Neville was a "cricketing genius’" growing up.
Flintoff recalled how the pair played junior cricket at Lancashire together and believes the former United defender could have been England’s answer to Ricky Ponting or Sachin Tendulkar.
But instead of pursuing a career in the sport, Neville rejected Lancashire’s contract offer and instead signed for United alongside his brother Gary.
“I played junior cricket at Lancashire with Phil Neville. He was a year older than me and he was a cricketing genius,” Flintoff recalled on talkSPORT on Thursday morning.
“If that lad would have 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 100 every time and after that he’d bowl everyone out!
“He was a quick bowler as well. He got offered a contract at Lancashire, it was something like two-and-a-half grand a year or go and play for Manchester United.
“Luckily he went to United, otherwise I might have ended up at Derbyshire or something.”
Before Flintoff added on Gary’s cricketing ability: “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, but Phil was the one who was amazing and such a good lad as well.”
