Freddie Flintoff has selected his 16-year-old son to be part of the England Lions squad for their upcoming tour of Australia.
The Lancashire youngster’s inclusion in the 16-man touring party comes less than four months after making his first-class debut.
The decision risks accusations of nepotism, following Rocky’s recent call-up to an unofficial fixture against a Cricket South Africa XI last week while travelling with the England Under-19 team.
His first-class debut against champions Surrey saw him score 32, which remains his highest score in seven County Championship innings.
Freddie Flintoff has called up his 16-year-old son
PA
Flintoff’s batting average stands at just 12.42 from his limited appearances in professional cricket.
The teenager has played four first-class matches and seven List A games since receiving his first professional contract with Lancashire in August.
England’s selection policy under men’s director of cricket Rob Key has routinely ignored domestic statistics when picking national squads.
This approach has yielded success, notably with Warwickshire’s Jacob Bethell in recent weeks.
Bethell, 21, who has yet to score a professional hundred and had never batted as high as No 3 in senior cricket at Edgbaston, outperformed most of his teammates in New Zealand.
He scored 260 runs during the 2-1 Test series win, with only Harry Brook managing more runs on the tour.
The Lions tour will feature three four-day fixtures, concluding with an unofficial Test against Australia A in Sydney.
Rocky Flintoff will join the England Lions tour
PA
The squad includes Test cricketers Shoaib Bashir, Tom Hartley and Josh Tongue, with the former selected to gain experience of Australian conditions ahead of next year’s Ashes.
Experienced county professionals Alex Davies and Sam Cook add depth to the youthful squad, with Davies scoring 1,000 runs in Division One last summer.
The tour begins on January 3, with matches scheduled in Brisbane and Sydney.
Performance director Ed Barney explained the selection decisions, saying: “We have rewarded players who have proven themselves at this level and those with significant potential.”
“Matches and tours of Australia are always important and we relish the opportunity to test ourselves against quality opposition,” he added.
The coaching setup includes former off-spinners Graeme Swann and Richard Dawson, with Neil Killeen supporting the pace bowlers and Australian Trent Woodhill serving as batting consultant.
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Rocky Flintoff made his first-class debut earlier this year
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Flintoff isn’t the only star with a well-known surname coming through the ranks of England’s youth system.
Archie Vaughan, son of ex-England captain Michael Vaughan, recently made his mark as a professional.
Charlie Harmison, the 16-year-old son of Steve Harmison, plays competitive cricket in the North East Premier League.
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