Freddie Flintoff has named his 16-year-old son Rocky in the England Lions squad for their upcoming tour of Australia. The tour is part of England's wider preparations for the Ashes next winter, with the Lions playing two matches against a Cricket Australia XI and a four-day unofficial Test against Australia A.
Flintoff was named head coach in September as the 46-year-old steps up his return to public life following a crash on the set of Top Gear. Over the past year, he has since worked with the England white-ball and Test teams, as well as acting as head coach of Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
The former all-rounder, who played 79 Tests for England between 1998 and 2009, will now lead the Lions Down Under. He revealed his tour squad on Wednesday, with Rocky a surprise inclusion. The 16-year-old only signed his first professional deal for Lancashire in June off the back of making a century for the club's second XI in April. Playing as a specialist batter, he made his first-team debut in July and has since played four first-class matches and seven List A games.
Rocky received a late call-up to the Lions squad earlier this month during the training camp in South Africa, where he featured in the four-day match against South Africa A. He scored his first senior century in April, hitting 116 off 165 balls as Lancashire's second team travelled to Warwickshire.
