Q&A: Andrew Flintoff

	There’s not a great deal to do outside of the cricket, so there’ll be a bit of poker. We’ll take cards and chips and things

What’s all this DVD business? Going all Hollywood on us?

It’s obviously cricket and will feature the Ashes. And cricketers who I enjoy watching, and different clips of big-hitters, fast bowlers and the best spinners in the world. It’s going to be quite entertaining – not just sitting there and watching cricket.

Congrats on becoming the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, by the way. OK, it hasn’t taken place yet, but did you know some of the bookies paid out as soon as you guys won the Ashes?

If it happens, it happens, you know? Personal awards are one thing, but the team has to take credit for everything that’s happened. For me, there’s probably been 12 or 13 sports personalities in the year – that’s all I’ll say.

It must have been great to prove the bookies wrong when they were writing you off at the beginning of the Ashes?

All of that seems well forgotten now: everyone likes us again. Obviously, betting on cricket is a road we can’t go down!

What about other sports?

Horses and dogs. I have a horse with my friend. It’s a bit embarrassing, really, as it’s called Flintoff. My friend has about 30 horses and his seven-year-old son phoned me up one afternoon and said: ‘Me dad’s got a new horse. He says I can call it Flintoff, d’y mind?’ I couldn’t really say no! Then my mate gave me half the horse as a wedding present, so we’ve been around the racecourses watching it.

How’s he been doing?

He’s been good, actually. He’s only four, but he’s run three times over hurdles and he’s won, so hopefully we’ve got a good horse on our hands. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Were you a big horse fan before that?

I’d had days out at the races, but I wasn’t really that bothered. I enjoy it now that I’ve been around it a little bit, though. I’m not a big gambler by any means – I’ll have the odd fiver, the odd tenner – but I enjoy the day out.

Do you think you’re part of the poker boom?

I love the poker. It started in the West Indies. Myself, Stephen Harmison and Matthew Hoggard got a hold’em school going and we’d play every night. Now the Lancashire lads play it on the bus.

Do the other England boys like to get involved now as well?

We’ll definitely play on tour in Pakistan. There’s not a great deal to do outside of the cricket, so there’ll be a bit of poker. We’ll take cards and chips and things.

Would you like to play in the World Series?

I’m not that good, to be honest. I’d have a crack, though!

I’m sure you know that Ed Giddins is a bit of a poker player.

Yeah, he’s supposed to be all right. Tell you who’s a good one: Robert Key at Kent. He’s a bit of a shark, he is.