Andrew 'Freddy' Flintoff has been accused of many things during his colourful career but cricketing intelligence has rarely featured on the charge sheet.

Lovably irresponsible, yes. Uniquely powerful, certainly. A grinning, Bothamesque folk hero? Without doubt.

Good for a quickfire crowd-pleasing cameo, but not the sort of man worthy of too much trust in a crisis.

Needing a single to win a game, the 6 foot 4 inch Flintoff would probably try to hit a six out of the stratosphere. It's simply the way he is.

Or was. On Sunday the England all-rounder, previously regarded as a compulsive hitter, played a captivating, calculating innings of 95 which as good as robbed South Africa of victory in the five-match series.

Of course there were booming sixes -- four of them, the biggest picked up on the front foot off Jacques Kallis and deposited way back in the midwicket stands -- and tracer-bullet boundaries aplenty.

But there was also real chess-board strategy, not just in the shielding of Steve Harmison from the strike -- the tailender scored three during a 99-run stand -- but in his dealings with the South African bowlers.

Kallis, in particular, tried to get under his skin by inviting an exchange of words. Flintoff smiled back at him, kept his concentration and kept hitting the ball to the leg-side boards.

Later he ignored a ball he had blocked a yard up the pitch. Normally, he would have slung it back to the bowler.

Makhaya Ntini, forced to walk the length of the pitch to collect it, sent down a bad-tempered bouncer next ball, as Flintoff had hoped, and saw it pummelled for four.

"I don't think they think I'm very good, to be honest," he said later in mock disappointment when asked about the sledging. "They question everything I do."

'A BIT SPECIAL'

Not South Africa coach Eric Simons, however, who was very impressed by the innings.

"It was a bit special and very intelligently played," Simons said.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith went further.

"I think he's the England cricketer who has impressed me the most," he said.

"Not just by his results but the way he plays the game... That's the mark of a great sportsman, he never lies down and has never had enough."

Only a few years ago, Flintoff's appetite seemed more focused on junk food and the odd six-pack of lager. England coach Duncan Fletcher feared his burgeoning weight was contributing to his back problems.

"We can give him guidance but it's up to him as an individual -- we can try to control what they eat but it's their careers at stake," Fletcher had said mournfully.

Flintoff, losing out to Craig White as the team's all rounder, took his time but the penny finally dropped. His weight fell and his stock rose.

"I'm getting a bit closer to where I want to be. It's been a big summer," Flintoff said after his Oval innings.

"I think I have always had it in me. It was just a case of finding it.

"I think I have matured as a batsman, and probably a person as well."

SURPRISING PACE

Flintoff's seam bowling may still leave something to be desired -- despite his accuracy, bounce and surprising pace, he takes less wickets than he would like -- yet Smith consistently named him as England's most accomplished bowler in the series.

The statistics may not back that up -- his 10 wickets cost 59.2 runs apiece -- but the Flintoff story has yet to be fully reflected in statistics.

The 25-year-old Lancastrian, the fastest scorer in the team, has never bothered about figures when playing to team orders. Was he disappointed at missing out on a century at The Oval?

"It's just five runs," he shrugged. "Personal milestones don't count for much when you are trying to win a series."

Flintoff came into the five-Test series with a batting average of under 20. That has now jumped to 26 after he averaged more than 50 against South Africa at number seven in the order.

He has chosen the perfect time to mature, with Alec Stewart, the side's wicketkeeping all-rounder, retiring at the age of 40.

With Stewart gone, the way is open for Flintoff to edge up the order, while growing up a little more.