[jambutty]

The hot news from the Caribbean today is not so much about the England cricket team but about some members and in particular Andrew “Freddy” Flintoff.

Flintoff was dropped from the team to play Canada today and has also been relieved of his vice captaincy for the rest of the tour.

James Anderson, Liam Plunkett and Jon Lewis, batsman Ian Bell and wicket-keeper Paul Nixon were fined after they went to a nightclub after the game in St Lucia on Friday.

It has been reported that during the early hours of Saturday morning Flintoff in an alcoholic haze decided to take a ‘Pedalo’ boat for a spin in the sea, capsized and had to be rescued.

Subsequent revelations revealed that Flintoff had already been disciplined for other misdemeanours prior to the current incident.

Saturday was a day off from cricket presumably to rest from the beating dished out by New Zealand and to prepare mentally for the Sunday Canada match. Being out drinking on the Friday night Saturday morning is not the way.

I accept that the team would have been down after losing to New Zealand and a relaxing drink or two in the hotel bar would help to ease the ‘pain’. But going out clubbing is a step too far.

It wouldn’t have been so bad if Flintoff had performed in the last match but he didn’t. His contribution with the bat was a first ball duck and a lazy stroke at that.

There are dozens of good county players who would give their eye teeth for a chance to play for their country so Flintoff’s punishment was well justified. No man is bigger then the team.

The one day squad are professional players and well paid to represent their country and for some of them to behave like they have done is akin to shoving two fingers up at England.

Well done to the management for doing what they did.