Michael Vaughan's criticism of Andrew Flintoff has been branded "despicable" by the chief executive of Lancashire.The England skipper told The Guardian Flintoff's drunken antics on a pedalo damaged his team's World Cup chances.
"I was absolutely staggered when I read that, I just couldn't believe it," Jim Cumbes, the chief of Flintoff's county, told BBC Radio Five Live.
"It's despicable against a guy like Fred, who over the last few years has given England blood."
Vaughan said Flintoff's behaviour had irreparably harmed England's team spirit, but Cumbes said the all-rounder would be hurt by the public criticism.
Cumbes added: "Rule one of any sport is that you don't slag your team-mates in public.
"I think Fred will be bitterly hurt by this, because the last thing he would dream of doing is let his team-mates down.
"Of course he wants to do well individually, but he wants to do well for his team-mates.
"He's played when he's been unfit and forced himself through it. He was the talisman in the Ashes series."
Flintoff lost the England vice-captaincy early in the World Cup after getting into difficulty on a pedalo following his team's defeat by New Zealand.
And in an interview in the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday, Vaughan said: "That changed the whole atmosphere in the camp.
"We went into the New Zealand game with a good attitude but didn't play well and after 'Fredalo' we just started taking it all too seriously.
"Suddenly you've got players who have no freedom left. I like to see players enjoy themselves but no one would dare go out after that incident - and you can't create any spirit then."
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