LONDON: Andrew Flintoff has revealed his pride at seeing `Field of Dreams` protege Adnan Miakhel, a refugee from Afghanistan, make his first appearance for Lancashire`s second team.

The former England captain, who made his name in cricket as a hugely talented all-rounder while playing for Lancashire, his native county, has been back in the public eye lately following the release of a new documentary detailing the painful recovery from his life-changing car crash.

The programme sees Flintoff speaking about how returning from show business to cricket has helped him gain fresh meaning in life, with Miakhel`s appearance in a three-day friendly against Yorkshire uniting the worlds of entertainment and sport.

The Afghan refugee was the breakout star of Flintoff`s television reality show about a scratch team of would-be cricketers based in Preston, Lancashire, and was awarded asylum in the United Kingdom after his mentor wrote to the Home Office (Britain`s interior ministry) supporting his application.

Flintoff, reflecting on Miakhel`s elevation from Lancashire`s U-18s last season to the second string this year, posted on X: `Some journeys are longer and harder, Pm so proud of this fine young man.`-AFP