Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has named ex-Griqualand West fast bowler Andre van Troost as ‘the fastest and most frightening bowler’ he ever faced.

The Netherlands’ Van Troost played for Griqualand West in South Africa from late 1994 to early 1995 amid a stint with Somerset in English county cricket.

‘I got left out of a Sunday league game, which I was fuming about, and watched on as Andre bowled lightning quick. I still believe he’s the fastest and most frightening bowler I’ve ever played against,’ Flintoff told Somerset’s website.

‘I was having a net with England U19 and Andre needed to prove his fitness ahead of a Somerset match, so he came over and bowled at me. He hit me three times on the head and twice on the shoulder and only two of them bounced.’

The 41-year-old also recalled a particularly challenging fixture in Taunton against a South African U19 team lined with the services of batsman Ashwell Prince, Neil McKenzie, Boeta Dippenaar and fast bowlers Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini.

‘The first time I played here was for England U19s against South Africa when I was 16. There were some top players playing in that match, including Prince, and Marcus Trescothick was my captain,’ he concluded.

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