Flintoff's shirtoff was a reflection of player's delight

The men in suits at Lord's might not approve, but the touring England cricketers are not unhappy that their big all-rounder Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff did a soccer-style strip of his shirt after England beat India by five runs on Monday to square the one-day series three-all.

Flintoff was at the sharp end of the action when he took two wickets and made a run out during the last over of the Indian innings.

Flintoff, a strapping 1.85m 105kg all-rounder, stripped off his shirt as he was surrounded by his cheering team-mates. The action drew some tut-tuts from Lord's, and a slap on the wrist from David Graveney, chairman of the England selectors.

But Nasser Hussain, the England captain, was not at all concerned about Flintoff becoming "Shirtoff" when he arrived at Auckland today for the England tour which will contain five One-Day Internationals and three Tests, plus other games between Friday and April 3.

"Our team enjoyed that victory," said Hussain, "and if you don't enjoy winning off the last ball before 50,000 spectators, you never will.

"There was a lot of character behind that win, and Freddie's brought a lot of character to the side. You win on character.

"We will keep these things down to a minimum, but I don't think that was the worst thing - or it may be close to the worst thing as far as Freddie's body goes - that has happened on a cricket field."

Flintoff, nick-named the "large lump from Lancashire" by some Indian spectators, was part of the new strength coming into the England side according to Duncan Fletcher, the England coach.

Three or four years ago Flintoff was regarded as most promising, and while his early results were not outstanding his development work had continued. Now, said Fletcher, all-rounders like Flintoff and Ben Hollioake, were giving England more strength in depth.