LONDON (AP):

While some high-profile athletes struggle to adapt to life away from the limelight after retirement, England's retiring test cricketer Andrew Flintoff is relishing the prospect of no longer being the crowd's favourite.

"It is quite a nice time for me to finish," Flintoff told reporters yesterday before the second knee operation that hastened his exit. "The kids are coming to an age where they need their dad around and I am going to be there for them.

"Bittersweet as it is finishing test cricket through injury, the one thing I am excited about is being at home. I am not going to get people shouting 'Super Fred' when I'm doing the school run. That is far more important than pinging a few down in a test."

Qualities

Flintoff, 31, intends continuing his one-day career with England as far into the future as the 2015 World Cup, but it has been test matches that have brought his greatest moments, like being man of the series when winning the Ashes in 2005 and during a second Ashes win on Sunday.

He was England's most successful all-rounder since Ian Botham reigned throughout the 1970s and 80s. His explosive batting, hostile fast bowling and sometimes inspirational fielding, such as the run out of Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Sunday, endeared him to crowds around the world.

This type of superhero behaviour helped earn him an unprecedented $1.55 million contract this year with Indian Premier League team Chennai.

However, despite his entertaining qualities and talent, his statistics with batting and bowling averages hovering around the 30 mark from 79 Tests would not suggest he is a 'great.' He was certainly a matchwinner, but he would prefer his legacy be more about the man than greatness as a player anyway.

"I would rather be regarded as a decent bloke rather than any sort of cricketer I might have been, that is far more important to me," said Flintoff.