**Andrew Flintoff has challenged the England players to prove they are the best in the world after retiring from Test cricket with an Ashes victory.**England defeated Australia at The Oval to seal a 2-1 series win and ensured Flintoff ended his career on a high.
“There is no reason they cannot be the best,” said Flintoff. “They have got a fantastic captain and a talented team.”
The 31-year-old, a key member of the triumphant 2005 team, added: “To win the Ashes twice is everything.”
Flintoff played 78 Tests in an 11-year career, taking 225 wickets and scoring 3,816 runs.
And the Lancastrian added: "I loved playing Test cricket - it feels strange talking about it in the past tense.
"It’s one of those things you don’t want to end - but like all things it comes to an end at some point and I couldn’t ask for a better way for it to finish.
“To win the Ashes twice is everything. I’m proud to be English and represent my country and I feel very fortunate to do it on and off for the last 10, 11 years or so.”
Flintoff’s Test career was undermined by a series of injuries and he has visibly struggled through the recently completed Ashes series. he was left out of the fourth Test at Headingley and bowled at well below his full pace at The Oval.