Flintoff named PCA Player of the Year

Andrew Flintoff enjoyed a productive Ashes series © Getty Images

Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff revealed he is raring to go as he prepares to face Australia again after getting his hands on more silverware.

The England all-rounder won the NatWest Professional Cricketers' Association Player of the Year award at the Royal Albert Hall, voted better than the rest for the second year running by his fellow players.

Flintoff shared top billing with NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year Alastair Cook, the 20-year-old Essex batsman adding this award to the equivalent Cricket Writers' Club prize he won last month.

Flintoff flies out on Wednesday to play for the Rest of the World against Australia and he said: "I'm looking forward to getting out there.

“It's massive to be playing for a Rest of the World side and I really want to do well.

“There are some great players taking part and I'll be like a kid in a sweet shop, taking my autograph book.”

Flintoff, chosen as the man of the Ashes series, had not had time to savour his success before picking up another prize on Monday night.

Andrew Flintoff picks up the PCA award from Nick Hancock © Getty Images

On his way into the Royal Albert Hall, he revealed that he had not had the chance to watch the videos of the Ashes triumph.

He continued: “I seem to have slipped back into everyday life. I've spent time with family and friends but we've moved house and everything has been in boxes, including the video.”

But reflecting on England's triumph and the ensuing celebrations which gripped the nation, he said: “It's been massive. You have to pinch yourself sometimes.

“It's been a roller-coaster of emotions. It's been enjoyable, it's been tense, it's been nervy and to come out with the Ashes has been amazing - but at the end I just wished there was another Test to play the following week.”

Players gather outside the Royal Albert Hall on the red carpet © Getty Images

Flintoff and England team-mates Marcus Trescothick and Matthew Hoggard all insisted England still have some way to go before they can overtake Australia and be hailed as the number one team in the world.

That means continuing their tremendous run of success on foreign soil.

Victory over Australia to retain the Ashes Down Under in the winter of 2006-07 would put the issue beyond doubt - but they are not looking that far ahead.

“There's a lot of cricket to play before then,” said vice-captain Trescothick as he looked ahead to this winter's tours to Pakistan and India.

“We are not going to get too far ahead of ourselves. We will take a break, go to Pakistan and move on.

“We are looking forward to it but we are going to have to work very hard. To beat them in their own countries will be tough,” said the Somerset opener.

Flintoff concurred: “I'm looking forward to going to Pakistan, there will be difficult conditions and it's a difficult place to play. Pakistan holds new challenges.

Essex batsman Alastair Cook took the PCA Young Player of the Year award © Getty Images

“The Ashes series was hard but I'm sure Pakistan is going to be equally hard. The sub-continent always holds its own challenges.”

Yorkshire paceman Hoggard said: “We have got to beat Pakistan and India before we think about going to Australia.

"They are two very hard sides to beat in their own countries and we are going to have to play well.

“We have got the capabilities to achieve what we want but we know we have still got to improve in some areas.”

Reflecting on the Ashes glory he added: “I don't think we will fully appreciate what we have achieved until we've retired from playing.”

The majority of the England side - with the notable exceptions of captain Michael Vaughan, fifth Test last-day batting star Kevin Pietersen and fast bowler Simon Jones, whose hopes of making the plane to Pakistan are rated at 50-50 because of his ankle injury - were at the PCA bash at the Albert Hall.

Their new-found status as national heroes was summed up by Trescothick who pointed out: “It's the first time I've seen the red carpet out here.”

But the awards night is likely to bring the celebrations to an end.

Spinner Ashley Giles said: “They've been great but it's the last hurrah. We're back in the gym on Tuesday and we've a lot of preparation to do before we fly out to Pakistan.”

Umpire David Shepherd received the ECB Special Award after standing in his last first-class game at the end of the season following 24 years of officiating.