Freddie Flintoff captured the hearts of viewers once again with the second season of Field of Dreams, this time helping his young protégés from Preston overcome autism and anxiety during a life-changing cricket tour of India.
The England legend, who revealed during the series that his horrific crash on Top Gear has left him struggling with anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks, has been widely praised for the way he handled the group of budding cricketers from his hometown.
In the second season of Field of Dreams, Flintoff reunited his sons from Preston for the trip of a lifetime to India.
Many of the boys admitted that they had never left Preston and had never been on a plane. But their lives were to change completely when they landed in one of India’s largest cities, Kolkata.
The performances of Flintoff and his team on and off the pitch have brought tears to viewers, many of whom have since made major changes in their lives as a result of the lessons they learned on the tour.
When the second season of Field of Dreams came to an end last week, one viewer summed it up perfectly by posting: “Arise Sir Freddie.”
In the second series of Field of Dreams, England legend Freddie Flintoff (centre) took a group of underprivileged boys from Preston to India for a cricket tour. Pictured: 1. Finn, 2. Eli, 3. Hemi, 4. Josh, 5. Ben, 6. Adnan
1. Fin
The 19-year-old courageously opened up about his battle with autism and anxiety in the third episode of season two.
When Flintoff and his boys are invited to a lavish party hosted by the British Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata, most of the team are only too happy to buy a suit from a prestigious tailor in India.
But for Finn, it was way out of his comfort zone. During the episode, he tells Flintoff that he feels judged because of his background, but later he is seen laughing and joking with his friends after another perfectly handled conversation with his mentor.
Despite being nervous about travelling to India because of his autism, he told The Sunday Times it was “the best time of my life”.
“When you know the guys before and you know them after, the change is remarkable,” he added. “We’re all completely different people. I think the show underplayed how much of an effect it had on us.”
Nearly six months after his return from India, Finn now awaits the outcome of his application to join the army.
Finn (pictured), who has opened up about his struggles with autism and anxiety, has signed up for the military
2.Eli
Eli, who is also 19, was asked to join Flintoff’s India tour at the last minute after two boys of Pakistani descent were denied visas to India.
One of the team’s best players, Eli led the team to their first victory on the tour with a memorable innings in a Kolkata park. After being bullied for playing cricket as a teenager, he fell into the wrong group and left school in Blackpool without taking any GCSEs.
He told The Times that the entire team “came back with their eyes wide open,” adding: “I realized there’s more to life than being a Muppet.”
Eli was asked to lead one of the coaching sessions on tour and Flintoff offered to fund his coaching qualifications, an opportunity the 19-year-old jumped at.
Since returning to Blackpool, Eli has continued to play cricket and gained his coaching qualifications.
Eli (pictured) has continued to play cricket and hopes to become a coach now that he has qualified
3. Hemi
In one of the many moments that brought viewers to the brink of tears, Hemi, also 19, gets a big break on tour when the team visits a teenage hangout in Kolkata.
Hemi suffered from ADHD at school and had therefore never rapped or performed outside his bedroom.
But all that changed in Kolkata, when his caring teammates convinced him to pick up a microphone and showcase his talent.
After being cheered on by local beatboxers and his Preston crew, Hemi admitted his cheeks were sore from laughing so much and vowed to continue performing at home.
Now, six months later, Hemi has a job lined up and gained experience in post-production, telling The Times that he now wants to “get more out of life.”
Hemi (pictured) hopes to break into the music industry after overcoming his fears of performing in public during the show
This is the moment Hemi starts rapping for a group of local beatboxers in India after his teammates encourage him to perform
4. Jos
The 20-year-old, who has autism, was perhaps the cricketer who struggled most on the India tour.
The hustle and bustle of Kolkata, the new sights and smells and the overwhelming heat pushed Josh far out of his comfort zone.
However, he described the trip as an ‘eye-opener’ and has since started his own business and rejoined his rugby club.
Josh (pictured), who has autism, was perhaps the cricketer who struggled most on the India tour
5. Ben
Also 20 years old, Ben overcomes his nerves to teach an English class at a school for orphans. The episode sees ‘Mr Ben’ connecting with the children as he has them write down and read out their life ambitions.
Ben, who struggled with depression and homelessness as a teenager, says he moved south and is training to teach outdoor sports.
The journey, like for so many others, changed his entire life.
Ben hopes to teach after overcoming his nerves about teaching in India
6. Adnan
It took Adnan five months to reach Preston after fleeing Afghanistan without his parents. He tells Flintoff emotionally on the show: “My mother was crying and she said, ‘Your life is in danger.’
“I left and never saw her again or spoke to her again.”
Adnan, who arrived in Preston in the back of a lorry in April 2021, spent his first night with foster parents Barry and Elaine. There were plans for Adnan to find a permanent place, but after a few weeks he decided he wanted to stay with Barry and Elaine.
Elaine told how Adnan didn’t speak English when he arrived and walked around with his head down. However, his life changed when Barry took him to play cricket.
Adnan also faced major setbacks when he tried to gain asylum, until Flintoff intervened and wrote to the Home Office. Adnan, who can apply for British citizenship in six years, also won a scholarship to one of Lancashire’s most prestigious boarding schools.
Adnan dreams of becoming a professional cricketer. He arrived in Preston from Afghanistan after a terrifying five-month journey
Adnan, who has just completed a strong season with Lancashire Under-18s, now dreams of becoming a professional cricketer. He has also passed his driving test, meaning Barry no longer has to drive him to every session.
Fans of the series will be pleased to hear that Flintoff, who grew up in working-class Preston, has been rewarded with a third season thanks to its huge success.
The cricket superstar’s series ended on Tuesday night, but the BBC has already started filming the third season.
A source close to the show told the Daily Mirror: ‘Freddie’s last two series were a huge success and he and the boys loved making them.
‘The BBC jumped at the chance to make a third season.’
