Freddie Calls it a day and chatting to Michael Vaughan

A Chat that means so much more now that the news has filtered through that one of our most talismanic cricketers of all time Freddie Flintoff will be hanging up his boots at the end of this Ashes Series for good in the Test Arena.

You see Michael Vaughan retired merely a few weeks ago for the same reason, debilitating injuries just meaning that his body had had enough of the game, exactly the same reason why Freddie ahs decided to call time on a glittering career. In fact it's one of the best Interviews I have ever been a part of, with Vaughney chatting frankly about how will not miss the game, why he decided to call it a day, and also giving his thoughts on England's First Ashes test performance, and of course THAT dramatic climax!

Catch me chatting to MV on Saturday's Offside show on Kerrang! Radio from 1pm - you can listen online here!!!

So what about Freddie's decision to throw in the towel after this series?? Well you can't really blame him, he has been battling with serious injuries now for the last few years, and it has such an impact on his game, its more often that England turn out without the big man than with it seems.

There is no doubt he has been one of the best players in the world of our generation, and I know a lot of people will point to the stats (only two 5 wicket hauls, and a batting average that does not do him justice), but to be fair, that's not what Freddie is all about.

He epitomises the passion, the fire, the aggression and the desire that is all too often not seen in our players (apart from Colly and the Tail Enders late last Sunday.........Ohhh that's a great name for a band, Colly and the Tail Enders!), and how many times have we been up the Taff without a paddle only to chuck the ball to Fred and for him to make something happen?

In 2005, the series he will probably be best remembered for, it really did seem at times that he was carrying the whole hopes of a nation on his shoulders, maybe that's what did his knee in, in the end, and he has become a symbol of all that is good about England.

I will go much more in depth into the great mans career once this series has come to an end, because I reckon there is still some history to be written, and if I was the Aussies, I would not be sleeping great tonight.

He seemed so relaxed at the press conference today that you could tell this had been weighing on his mind something rotten, and once it was out, he visibly looked so much more at peace with himself and dare I say hungry to go out with a bang.

You can be sure he will be on the pitch every last ball for the remainder of the series no matter what it takes, and now he knows the time limit on his career, he won't have to keep saving himself, and I reckon a carefree, pumped up Freddie will be able to make one hell of an impact in the next 4 Tests, as he will want to go out with the type of bang that created all life in the universe......you know a Big one!

Oh and let's not forget he will still play in the one days and Twenty 20's, so this is not the end for Freddie, and for us England fans let's hope it's the beginning of a very special farewell Test summer!

Right don't forget Offside on Saturday, and my new daytime show on Kerrang from 11am-3pm each weekday, and tomorrow I'm off to DJ with my buddy Johnny Doom at the Velvet Lounge in Worcester from 10.30pm, then I'm mostly looking forward to going to the British Superbikes at Mallory Park on Sunday! I Will blog back before the weekend, so until then my illustrious compadres, be good to each other!