Rocky Flintoff: Lancashire batter to miss early part of season with back injury

Rocky Flintoff looks on while playing for Lancashire in the County Championship

Lancashire batter Rocky Flintoff will miss the first part of the County Championship season because of a back injury.

The county say the 16-year-old has suffered a “lumbar stress reaction”, which is why he was left out of the squad for their Division Two opener against Middlesex at Lord’s.

He felt discomfort in his back during pre-season and is being rested so the injury does not worsen while also having rehabilitation.

Flintoff, son of former England captain and all-rounder Andrew, became Lancashire’s youngest first-class cricketer last season.

He has played five first-class matches and seven List A games for Lancashire.

Flintoff, who turns 17 on Monday, made a century for England Lions against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane in January, having become the youngest player to hit a century for England Under-19s last summer.

His older brother Corey, 19, signed a two-year rookie contract with Kent last month.

Lancashire have seven County Championship Division Two fixtures before the mid-season break on 27 May.