Flintoff's best innings

137 v New Zealand at Jade Stadium, Christchurch, First Test, March 2002

Flintoff arrived as a genuine Test all-rounder with a breakthrough century that bore the hallmarks of the muscular strokeplay that would make him one of the most feared players in the world.

After being recalled to the Test side the previous winter, and making a 14-ball duck in the first innings, he cast off the shackles in an innings that comprised 110 runs worth of boundaries.

He combined with Graham Thorpe in a 281-run stand for the sixth wicket, then the fourth-highest in Test cricket, that helped England recover from 106 for five and pave the way for victory by 98 runs.

142 v South Africa at Lord's, Second Test, August 2003

Flintoff played a lone hand in England's second innings as they slumped to a humiliating innings defeat against South Africa at Lord's.

He started his knock with England having lost three for none, to slump to 208 for six, but despite the situation dominated the tourists' attack to score his first century against the Proteas from 112 balls.

He struck 18 fours and five sixes in his 142, but as his team-mates fell around him it was not enough to make South Africa bat again.

95 v South Africa at The Oval, Fifth Test, September 2003

A blistering knock of 95 helped England grab the initiative after South Africa, leading the series 2-1, had looked to bat the hosts out of the series with their 484 batting first.

England would surpass that thanks to Flintoff who combined in a 99-run stand for the ninth wicket with Steve Harmison, who added just six runs, as England declared on 604 for nine.

Flintoff struck 14 fours and four sixes with the momentum of his quickfire knock helping England go on and win the Test by nine wickets and level the series 2-2.

167 v West Indies at Edgbaston, Birmingham - Second Test, August 2004

The highest score of his Test career came during arguably Flintoff's best period with the bat during his career.

In a record-breaking summer for England, when they won all seven Tests against the touring New Zealand and West Indies, Flintoff passed fifty in each match.

The highlight was his 167 at Edgbaston where he flayed a weakened West Indies attack, led by Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore and Jermaine Lawson.

102 v Australia at Trent Bridge, Nottingham - Fourth Test, August 2005

Flintoff's first-innings century proved pivotal in a Test victory that gave England the 2-1 lead that would secure them their first Ashes series win in 18 years.

It was characteristically an all-guns blazing stay at the crease as the Lancastrian struck 14 fours and a six, while also adding 177 for the sixth wicket with Geraint Jones.

The century, the fifth of his Test career, is also the last time Flintoff has reached the milestone.