Andrew Flintoff has called on the English cricketing public to show their love for the NatWest Twenty20 Blast - and under-pressure Test captain Alastair Cook.
The Blast's stock is at a new high, in its second year and 12th for the Twenty20 domestic format, with the England and Wales Cricket Board announcing much-improved advance ticket sales and a clutch of overseas superstars such as Brendon McCullum set to take part.
Cook, however, is at a much lower ebb as his quest for a long overdue Test century - to add to his record 25 - brought him two more failures at the top of the order in the opening match of England's series in the West Indies.
He nonetheless has a supporter in former England team-mate and fellow 2009 Ashes-winner Flintoff.
"I get fed up of people having a go at Alastair Cook," the all-rounder told Sky Sports News, as he helped to launch this year's Blast competition - back at Edgbaston where he came within one more big hit of winning last year's final with Lancashire.
"I was captain when Alastair came into the side.
"I got a lot of things wrong as England captain, but the one thing I got right was picking Alastair Cook.
"He's one of England's finest ever players. If you have a career spanning more than 100 Test matches, there are going to be blips along the way.
"But Alastair . will get through this. I'd like to see people outside the England team backing the lad.
"It's nice some time when you get a bit of loving from people, and I think that's the only thing that's missing with Alastair at the minute."
Flintoff wants to spread the love too for a tournament he hopes will become an institution in British sport.
"You've seen the success of Twenty20 cricket around the world, and the appetite for it in England is no different," he added.
"I went to watch Lancashire v Yorkshire last year - 25,000 people (were there). I was fortunate enough to play in finals day at Edgbaston - a terrific night, even though we lost.
"You find a new audience with the NatWest Blast - an introduction to cricket.
"With some of the overseas signings coming over this year, and the English players, there's a lot to be excited about."
At 37, Flintoff is still unsure whether he will be playing again - having made a comeback in 2014, five years after his retirement.
He does have a view on the future of his ex-England colleague Kevin Pietersen, though.
After his sacking last year, 34-year-old Pietersen is hoping a welter of first-class runs for Surrey can pave his way back to Test cricket this Ashes summer.
Flintoff said: "He wants to play Test cricket again, but he's going to have to state his case.
"You can't just walk into a side - there are lads, especially in the batting order, in possession of places and performing."
Source: PA
