It was never truly about cricket. In July 2022, Freddie Flintoff's *Field of Dreams
saw the former England cricketer turned TV presenter assemble a new youth team from scratch in Preston, Lancashire. He persuaded a group of disengaged teenagers to leave their bedrooms and pick up bats and balls. The conventions of reality TV couldn't disguise the fact that the lads weren't particularly good at or interested in the game itself, but that didn't matter. What made the series so moving was the impact the project, and Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff, had on their self-esteem. Being part of a team, with a goal to strive for and someone believing in them, appeared life-changing.
A follow-up series, *Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams on Tour*, was announced. More than a year later, it has finally arrived, and initially, it unfolds as planned. In scenes filmed towards the end of 2022, Flintoff reconvenes the team and reveals his intention to take them to play in India. Before that, a training camp at Loughborough University showcases the familiar *Field of Dreams
dynamic. None of the boys manage to rise for a 7.30 am breakfast meeting, but after a firm yet compassionate reprimand from Flintoff, they enjoy a productive training session. The camera lingers on Flintoff as he relishes the upbeat atmosphere: "This weekend, I've loved it."
A sense of dread pervades the viewing experience, watching a capable, forceful individual who is unaware of what we know. As preparations for the India tour continue, Flintoff sustains severe facial injuries in a car crash while filming for *Top Gear*. You may have forgotten about Flintoff's accident: he has only been seen in public a handful of times, hasn't participated in any interviews, and hasn't posted online. However, it's worth noting that *Field of Dreams on Tour
is Flintoff's first media appearance since the accident, and the trip to India marks one of his first ventures outside his home. Filming resumes after seven months and numerous surgeries, allowing Flintoff to speak about the nightmares, flashbacks, and anxiety he has been enduring: "I thought I could just shake it off⦠but as much as Iâve wanted to go out and do things, Iâve just not been able to." The programme then leaps forward another six months, reaching the point where Flintoff feels ready for his reunion with the squad.
Flintoff has previously presented compelling documentaries about his experiences with depression and bulimia, but these struggles had not hindered his success as an athlete and screen entertainer. This is different. The scarring on such a prominent face is shocking, but it's even more concerning to observe Flintoff's subdued demeanour and hesitant posture as he greets the lads again: this new Freddie is vulnerable, fragile, and conquerable. It's customary with shows like this to think, "I hope these kids will be alright." We're not accustomed to having the same thought about the superstar coach.
However, this makes *Field of Dreams on Tour
an even more stirring testament to the value of sport as an excuse to engage with the world, to get moving, to come together. Before, it was about cricket as a means of conveying to isolated young men with limited opportunities that there were still things they could do and people who could support them, with the magic of television providing the fantastic bonus of being mentored by one of England's best players. Now, as the trip to India finally takes place, the cricketing great is more like a team member who needs his mates to step up and help him.
Amid the overwhelming sounds, sights, and scents of Kolkata, this is precisely what they do. One works hard to acclimatize despite his autism making the new environment challenging. Two others take on the responsibility of cooking for the group, and although their tour of the city's markets yields nothing and they end up serving supermarket nuggets and chips, Flintoff gratefully acknowledges that they have successfully put food on the table.
So far, cricket barely enters the picture. In a country where lads play cricket daily in parks and playgrounds in the way young British people play football, the Preston novices would be trounced by any organised local team. So Flintoff finds them a game of street cricket against a team of kids being looked after by a homelessness charity: tennis ball, underarm bowling, and if you hit a six into someone's yard, you're out. Despite a certain A Flintoff batting at number 11, the Britons lose, but the result is insignificant: Freddie and his boys have gotten back out there and played. In a show brimming with small victories, it's a significant win.
*Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams on Tour
aired on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.