Flintoff looks at bigger picture

England’s Andrew Flintoff has urged the cricket world to see the positive effect of tomorrow’s multi-million-dollar Stanford Super Series contest.

While England’s players have fretted over the prospect of earning $1million-a-man for defeating the Stanford Superstars given the current financial climate, cash is also heading elsewhere.

West Indies cricket will receive $3.5million for every campaign on the island in the five-year deal, sums of money that will be an aid in their request to return to former glories.

“When you look at the money that is up for it then yeah it is all about the money,” said Flintoff. “One of the good things to come from it is West Indies cricket and seeing people come and watch.

Andrew Flintoff believes the money going to West Indies cricket can help to restore former glories

“The West Indies have got a huge history in the game and everyone wants to see a strong West Indies side.

“I’ve heard in the past that they’ve been lost to other sports so it would be great to see cricket back on the map in these islands and if this goes some way to doing it, then great.”

Cricket will change forever with the battle for the biggest purse in the history of team sport.

“It is different and very unique in terms of what is happening,” said Flintoff. “In some ways we’re pioneering it and it is something we’re getting on with.”

Flintoff enjoyed a fine finish to the English season in both Test and one-day international cricket and hopes to extend that into a format he enjoys but has little experience of.

“It is a bit different and I haven’t played a great deal of it but from a bowling point of view, there is not much difference between it and 50-over cricket,” Flintoff said about Twenty20.

“Batting, you’ve got to give yourself a little bit of a chance but probably not as much as you do in the 50-over game.”