The 32-year-old Lancashire allrounder, who played 79 Tests for England, made his decision to quit the sport after speaking to medical advisers on Wednesday.

"Having been told that my body would no longer stand up to the rigors of cricket, I had no alternative but to retire," Flintoff said in a statement.

His last match was a Test against Australia at The Oval in August 2009, when England won to regain the Ashes.

Immediately after that match, Flintoff, who was prone to injuries owing to his heavy frame, underwent micro-fracture surgery on his right knee and hoped to return for the start of this season. He had a second operation after suffering a setback in his recovery earlier this year.

"I was told that the problems I have been trying to overcome in rehab for the last year following the latest in a series of operations would not recover sufficiently to allow a comeback," Flintoff said.

Universally known as "Freddie," Flintoff became a national icon by playing a leading role in England winning back the Ashes in 2005, under the captaincy of Michael Vaughan. He scored 402 runs and took 24 wickets in the five-match series.

Overall, he had 226 wickets and hit 3,845 runs in an 11-year test career. He notched five centuries, his highest being 167 versus West Indies at Edgbaston in 2004.

"I will now be taking a break before deciding which future direction to take," added Flintoff, who has been working in television over the past year.

Flintoff announced in July last year that he would be retiring from Test cricket at the end of the 2009 Ashes series but would be available for England's limited-overs matches despite rejecting an incremental England and Wales Cricket Board contract. However, injury meant he did not play again for England or his county.

He was named England captain in February 2006 and led the team for the defense of the Ashes at the end of that year.

Australia won the series 5-0 Down Under.

Vaughan returned as captain in 2007 but Flintoff was stripped of the vice-captaincy and suspended after a reported late-night incident during which he fell off a pedalo after a drinking session.

Injury limited his appearances for England and Lancashire over the past three years, although he managed to play through pain to help England win the Ashes back in 2009.
 
Former Essex player charged with fraud

Meanwhile, former Essex county cricketer Mervyn Westfield has been charged with fraud over allegations that he deliberately bowled badly in a domestic match last year, British prosecutors said on Thursday.

"I have advised that Mervyn Westfield should be charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud for intentionally playing other than to the best of his ability, contrary to his contractual obligations," Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Antony Swift said in a statement.

"It is alleged that he dishonestly agreed to bowl his first over to allow the scoring of a certain number of runs at a match between Durham and Essex on 5 September 2009," he added.

Cricket is facing a crisis over allegations of spot-fixing of incidents in the international game.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) this month suspended Pakistan's Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir for their alleged involvement in fixing no-balls during a test match against England at Lord's last month.

Fast bowler Westfield will appear at City of London magistrates' court on Sept. 23.

"We are very saddened by the news that Mervyn has been charged by Essex Police," Essex County Cricket Club said in a statement on their website (www.essexcricket.org.uk).   "We have not been privy to any of the evidence collected by the authorities which is why no action was taken against the player while the enquiries were ongoing. Clearly the police now feel they have sufficient evidence to proceed.

"A decision was taken some weeks ago that Mervyn's playing contract was not to be renewed with the club for 2011. This decision was made purely on cricketing grounds and was not influenced in any way by the ongoing inquiry. He leaves the employment of the club on 30th September 2010."  

Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was cleared earlier this month of betting allegations relating to the same Essex match, his lawyer told Reuters.