Andrew Flintoff has urged England to drop “anyone” in order to make sure Jofra Archer has a place in their World Cup squad.
The past week has seen Barbados-born paceman Archer show glimpses of his talent while making one-day international and Twenty20 debuts for England after completing a three-year residency period.
His ability to bowl 90-mile-per-hour (145 kmh) yorkers, as well as deceptive slower balls, has caught the eye. Archer is set to have further chances to make a case for a World Cup spot during England´s upcoming one-day international series against Pakistan starting at the Oval on Wednesday.
Former England fast bowling all-rounder Flintoff is a fan of the “unbelievable” Archer.
“I was watching him bowl the other day and I found it so frustrating that a bloke can bowl so fast with what looks like so little effort,” Flintoff told reporters in London on Tuesday.
Following a miserable first-round exit at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand, World Cup hosts England have risen to number one in the ODI rankings, without Archer.
But Flintoff said loyalty to existing players was no reason to ignore the 24-year-old´s claims for a place in England´s final 15 for the World Cup.
“You ask who I would get rid of? Anyone,” he added at an event to publicise the official World Cup song, ´Stand By´ by Loryn and Rudimental.
“I think he´s brilliant. I know there´s a thing about him qualifying but we´ve done that for a number of years.
“When I was a kid we were watching Robin Smith (born in South Africa) and were waiting on Graeme Hick (born in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe) to play (for England).
“We´ve had KP (Kevin Pietersen, born in South Africa) so it´s not a new thing,” said the 41-year-old Flintoff.
