"Freddie vs Freddie"

12 July 2019

4 mins 43s

We have the technology.

As any sports psychologist will tell you, a competitor's toughest opponent is often themselves. Keen to test this theory are England cricket sponsors NatWest, who pit 2005 Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff against - you guessed it - Andrew Flintoff.

Thanks to a machine that "can recreate any ball that's been bowled in Test history", this compelling ad puts the retired Flintoff into bat against his younger, pedalo-jacking self. One can imagine the likes of Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer watching with perverse glee.

What could have been a dry tech demo is leavened by Flintoff's performance both on and off the pitch. Wisecracks are balanced with introspection as Flintoff relates his finest hour... one that should never be forgotten.

UK

Banks