Teenager Rocky Flintoff has been included in the England Lions squad for next month’s tour of Australia.
The team is coached by the 16-year-old’s father Andrew, with Flintoff junior called up again following his late inclusion in the Lions squad during their training camp in South Africa earlier this month.
The all-rounder made his debut for Lancashire during the summer and has been a consistent performer for the England Young Lions.
Flintoff has been described as a “Mini-Me” of his old man, bowling pace with a similar action and basing his batting around powerful hitting.
“He’s a lovely lad around the group, but when it comes to his batting and fielding, he switches on,” England Under-19 coach Michael Yardy said in July after Flintoff jnr belted a hundred against Sri Lanka.
“He’s a normal teenage lad around the group, but when he gets out in the middle he’s more like a 25-year-old.
“Rocky scored a hundred against the invitation XI and really celebrated and that’s what you want. You want it to mean something to players. Whenever you represent your country and make a hundred, it should feel special.
“He’s a young lad and we want him to show that passion, desire and emotion when they do something special. He did that today and it will mean even more to him because his parents were on the ground to see him do it.”
The 16-player squad also includes five players – Shoaib Bashir, Pat Brown, Tom Hartley, Josh Tongue and John Turner – who have represented England at the senior level.
The Lions will play two four-day matches against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane followed by a first-class Test against Australia A in Sydney.
with AAP
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