Andrew Flintoff's career in brief

1977: Born Preston, 6 December 1995: Makes Lancashire debut 1996-7: Captained England Under-19s against Pakistan and Zimbabwe 1998: Test debut against South Africa at Trent Bridge and awarded county cap 1999: Scores 50 on one-day international debut against Pakistan at Sharjah. Returns to England side on tour of South Africa but breaks a foot in fourth Test at Cape Town 2000: Hits 84 in just 60 balls as England begin their tour of Pakistan with victory in opening one-day international at Karachi 2002: Scores maiden Test century against New Zealand with 137 off 163 balls in a 281-run partnership with Graham Thorpe in first Test at Christchurch 2003: Features in World Cup after injury-curtailed Ashes tour and scores first Test century in England against South Africa at Lord's and a brilliant 95 off 104 balls to level series at The Oval 2004: April – Takes maiden Test five-wicket haul in third Test against West Indies in Barbados and hits unbeaten 102 in fourth Test against West Indies in Antigua. Named as one of Wisden's five cricketers of the year July – Cracks 167 in second Test against West Indies at Edgbaston September – Named ICC one-day player of the year 2005: Named man of the series after England's Ashes win; feats included 102 and three wickets in fourth Test at Trent Bridge December – Named BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2006: January – given an MBE for his role in the Ashes series March – Captain in absence of Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick as England claim 1-1 Test series draw in India May – Continues as captain for drawn Test series against Sri Lanka but misses rest of summer through injury September – Named as captain for Ashes tour of Australia but England are thrashed 5-0 2007: Dropped from the England team to face Canada, and effectively stripped of the vice-captaincy, at the World Cup after "a breach of team discipline" – the notorious pedalo incident . Misses summer series against West Indies and injury curtails other campaigns against India and in the World Twenty20. Undergoes a fourth ankle operation July 2008: Returns to England side to face South Africa to end more than a year out due to injury 2009: February – becomes the highest-ever-paid IPL player, alongside Kevin Pietersen, when the Chennai Super Kings bought him for $1.55m (£1m) 2009: April – Takes hat-trick for England as they wrap up their ODI series against West Indies 3-2 with a 26-run win in St Lucia. Joins Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings but returns to England before end of competition in South Africa for knee surgery July – Returns to England side for opening Test draw against Australia in Cardiff. Aggravates the knee injury he sustained during the IPL 15 July – Confirms he is to retire from Test cricket at the end of the summer's Ashes series 20 July – Named man of the match after a second-innings five-wicket haul in England's dramatic second Test victory over Australia at Lord's 20 August – After missing the third and fourth Tests, returns for the decisive fifth and final Test 23 August – Marks retirement from Test cricket in style as England win by 197 runs at The Oval to regain the Ashes. Barely an hour later, it is announced he will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his injured right knee on 25 August and will miss the NatWest Twenty20 international series and NatWest Series against Australia and the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa 6 November – Signs a new three-year deal with Lancashire 2010: January – Signals his intention to play four-day cricket for the Red Rose county, having previously committed himself only to one-day cricket 2 March – Admits he may have played his final game of cricket August – Expressed interest in signing up with Queensland's Twenty20 to begin playing in January 2011 2 August – His return from injury is delayed as he is held back from the Lancashire 2nd XI's one-day game against Yorkshire 3 August – Withdrawn from the three-day game between the sides and Lancashire later announce he will miss the rest of the season 16 September – Announces his retirement from all forms of cricket