Flintoff earns back respect.

Byline: Oliver Holt

I WAS disappointed by extracts from Andrew Flintoff's autobiography that revealed quite how squeamish he had been about completing England's tour of India last year in the wake of the Mumbai atrocities.

My opinion of him changed again on Monday night, though, when I went to the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards and watched footage of Flintoff and Gary Lineker journeying to Afghanistan to present an award to an incredibly brave army medic.

It took guts for both men to do that. Not as much guts as the soldiers who are fighting there, obviously, but guts nonetheless.

Flintoff was leaning heavily on crutches in the film footage, too, still recovering from his recent knee operation. He had an easy excuse not to go. But he didn't take it and for that, I admire him greatly.