LONDON: England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Thursday after years of battling injury.

Flintoff, 32, retired from test cricket last year following the Ashes victory over Australia but had hoped to represent England again in one-day cricket.

"The decision to end my career came yesterday after consultation with medical advisers," he said in a statement.

"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 underwent knee surgery last August and needed a second operation in January. He has missed the entire county season.

"I will now be taking a break before deciding which future direction to take," he added.

Flintoff played 79 tests and 141 one-day internationals, scoring 3,845 test runs, including five centuries at an average of 31.77.

He took 226 test wickets and scored 3,394 runs in ODIs, taking 169 wickets.

BDST: 1817HRS, September 16, 2010