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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matthew Cooper

Freddie Flintoff says 'Bazball' is "one of the worst things I have ever heard"

Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff is not a fan of the term 'Bazball' which has been used to describe England 's new approach to Test cricket, with the legendary all-rounder calling it "one of the worst things I have ever heard".

Under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, England have committed to playing a positive and aggressive brand of Test cricket and they have already enjoyed great success, whitewashing World Test Champions New Zealand and producing a record-breaking win over India earlier this summer.

And while Flintoff is a fan of England "playing an exciting brand of cricket that everybody loves watching", he simply does not like the use of 'Bazball'. When asked about the term, Flintoff told the i : "It's one of the worst things I have ever heard.

"I'm not interested in that. They're just playing an exciting brand of cricket that everybody loves watching."

Flintoff is not the only one who dislikes the term, with his close friend Rob Key, who is now Managing Director of England Men's Cricket and the man responsible for the appointments of Stokes and McCullum, suggesting it "devalues" the work they have done.

Speaking to BBC Test Match Special last month, Key said: "I'm not mad on 'Bazball' the phrase. It's not something I particularly enjoy because it devalues what Ben and Brendon have done.

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have made an immediate impact on England's Test team (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

"They've been so premeditated almost and methodical in the way they've spoken to people and that's what's made the difference and let them get to this point which is so much more than, 'oh, we're just going to go out there and look to be positive and play a few shots'.

"Brendon will at times on purpose say to one of the players like Ollie Pope 'I can't get to the ground, give us a lift' and that's when he's doing his work with them.

"There have been all these moments when they have made sure that they've used the right terminology and that's what's bred the confidence."

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