The sporting world is full of athletes who are more inclined towards a particular sport during their growing up years but choose to take up a different sport professionally. While Sachin Tendulkar was fascinated by Tennis during his childhood, Yuzvendra Chahal was a Chess Champion. Similarly, Brendon McCullum used to play Rugby but fortunately for cricket lovers took up cricket and excelled in it like few other Kiwis. In a recent interview, former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff revealed that former English footballer Phil Neville was in fact a very good cricketer. Flintoff disclosed that he had played with Neville at the junior level at the Lancashire club. Freddie even went on to label Neville a cricketing genius.
“I played junior cricket at Lancashire with Phil Neville. He was a year older than me and he was a cricketing genius,” Flintoff said in an interview with Talksport.
Flintoff said that Neville was a brilliant all-rounder. He could not only score hundreds but even had the potential of bowling everyone out.
“If that lad would have carried on playing cricket he could have been England’s Ricky Ponting or Sachin Tendulkar, he was that good. He used to turn up, open the batting and score 100 every time and after that, he’d bowl everyone out,” he added.
Freddie then stated that Neville was a fast bowler like himself and Lancashire had even offered him a contract but Neville chose to go and play for Manchester United. Flintoff then stated that had Neville taken up the contract with Lancashire, he himself would have to search for another club to play for.
“He was a quick bowler as well. He got offered a contract at Lancashire, it was something like two-and-a-half grand a year or go and play for Manchester United. Luckily he went to United, otherwise, I might have ended up at Derbyshire or something,” said Flintoff.
The Neville brothers- Phil and Gary Neville both went on to play for Premier League giants Manchester United during a time which is known to be their golden era. Phil enjoyed a successful stint with the Red Devils as he won six Premier League trophies, one Champions League and three FA Cup titles during his career. Phil even represented his national team during the course of his career.