---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was great mates with Muttiah…"
description: "\"I was great mates with Muttiah Muralitharan, dating back to the days when we both played together at Lancashire.\" — Andrew Flintoff"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0f/andrew-flintoff-3137_back_i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitha_305253.jpg"
---

#  I was great mates with Muttiah Muralitharan, dating back…

![“I was great mates with Muttiah Muralitharan, dating back to the days when we both played together at Lancashire.” quote by Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0f/andrew-flintoff-3137_back_i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitha_305253.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0f/andrew-flintoff-3137_back_i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitha_305253.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0f/andrew-flintoff-3137_back_i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitha_305253.jpg)

> “I was great mates with Muttiah Muralitharan, dating back to the days when we both played together at Lancashire.”

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He reflects on a long‑standing friendship with a fellow cricketer, highlighting shared history and mutual respect.

**In simple terms:** He values his deep friendship with a fellow player from early days.

Key Takeaway

Maintain and cherish long‑term friendships.

Themes

friendship teamwork shared history mutual respect

Mood

warm nostalgic proud

Type

sports personal

When to use this quote

- team selection
- post‑retirement events
- charity matches
- public appearances

Key Concepts

sports camaraderie career longevity personal bonds

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you sustain friendships in competitive environments?
- What role does shared history play in trust?

A Different Perspective

Friendships can be strained by competition or fame.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dating/) [Lancashire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lancashire/)

## Related quotes

> [I played at Lancashire when Glen Chapple was 40 to 41 and he was as good as he ever was then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/i-played-at-lancashire-when-glen-chapple-was-40-to-41-and-he-was-as/)

[James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/)

> [My mum and dad are great mates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-whitmore/my-mum-and-dad-are-great-mates/)

[Laura Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-whitmore/)

> [We were great mates. We didn't really go out together because we never really had the time to go out. But we were with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dannii-minogue/we-were-great-mates-we-didn-t-really-go-out-together-because-we-never/)

[Dannii Minogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dannii-minogue/)

> [I won some winners' medals with Lancashire - a NatWest trophy and a couple of Sunday Leagues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-won-some-winners-medals-with-lancashire-a-natwest-trophy-and-a/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [What Art was to the ancient world, Science is to the modern: the distinctive faculty. In the minds of men the useful has succeeded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/what-art-was-to-the-ancient-world-science-is-to-the-modern-the-2/)

[Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/)

> [I didn't have a good time with Lancashire in 2000. Probably I'd played too much cricket and should have taken a rest, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sourav-ganguly/i-didn-t-have-a-good-time-with-lancashire-in-2000-probably-i-d-played/)

[Sourav Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sourav-ganguly/)

> [“The Lancashire Witches, and then he read The Admirable Crichton,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-somerset-maugham/the-lancashire-witches-and-then-he-read-the-admirable-crichton/)

[William Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-somerset-maugham/)

> [I was the youngest of four kids, and Dad, who had a garden centre before he retired, came from a large Lancashire family. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-astley/i-was-the-youngest-of-four-kids-and-dad-who-had-a-garden-centre/)

[Rick Astley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-astley/)

> [I was brought up in industrial south Lancashire, down the cobbled road from where LS Lowry (1887-1976) lived and painted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-was-brought-up-in-industrial-south-lancashire-down-the-cobbled-road/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [Lancashire is where I spend my weekends. I love going home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/lancashire-is-where-i-spend-my-weekends-i-love-going-home/)

[Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/)

> [My father's family, I think, were mostly from Lancashire, but I don't know how far back we go. I think it's quite a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lancashire/my-father-s-family-i-think-were-mostly-from-lancashire-but-i-don-t/)

[Sarah Lancashire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lancashire/)

> [I'm not against accents - my husband's from Lancashire and has a rural Lancs accent. We've just got back from Scotland yesterday, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-keith/i-m-not-against-accents-my-husband-s-from-lancashire-and-has-a-rural/)

[Penelope Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-keith/)

> [I call the Lancashire trade immoral, because it was raised and is sustained on the ruin of millions of India's peasants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-call-the-lancashire-trade-immoral-because-it-was-raised-and-is/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I'm Lancashire by name, and Lancashire was where I grew up - in Oldham.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lancashire/i-m-lancashire-by-name-and-lancashire-was-where-i-grew-up-in-oldham/)

[Sarah Lancashire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lancashire/)

> [I'm just looking forward to playing, and if anything else comes my way it's a bonus. I'm looking to have an injury-free season and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-law/i-m-just-looking-forward-to-playing-and-if-anything-else-comes-my-way/)

[Stuart Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-law/)

## More by Andrew Flintoff

> [I've read a lot of Irvine Welsh - Trainspotting, Glue - he's written some beauties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-ve-read-a-lot-of-irvine-welsh-trainspotting-glue-he-s-written-some/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [While I'm at second slip I'm not just thinking of what I'm going to have for tea. I'm considering the match as well, wondering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/while-i-m-at-second-slip-i-m-not-just-thinking-of-what-i-m-going-to/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [Old Trafford - as a cricket ground, I love playing there. It's a second home for me; I've been going there since I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/old-trafford-as-a-cricket-ground-i-love-playing-there-it-s-a-second/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [But there is no danger of my not concentrating on cricket. I'm comfortable on the pitch, and that will never change. I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/but-there-is-no-danger-of-my-not-concentrating-on-cricket-i-m/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I'm ugly, I'm overweight, but I'm happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-m-ugly-i-m-overweight-but-i-m-happy/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [In the past five weeks I've trained hard, trying to get my ankle back to where I want it to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/in-the-past-five-weeks-i-ve-trained-hard-trying-to-get-my-ankle-back/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I flew to Los Angeles to interview Vinnie Jones and Piers Morgan for the BBC and spent 11 hours in economy on BA, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-flew-to-los-angeles-to-interview-vinnie-jones-and-piers-morgan-for/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I'm completely different from Pietersen. He would turn up to the opening of an envelope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-m-completely-different-from-pietersen-he-would-turn-up-to-the/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [Now, I am not saying that the world is flat, but it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/now-i-am-not-saying-that-the-world-is-flat-but-it-could-be/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [It was an old cricket coach who started calling me Fred - as in Flintstone. There are far worse things to be called in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/it-was-an-old-cricket-coach-who-started-calling-me-fred-as-in/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I always listen to music before I go out to bat. Any track, really, just whatever I feel like at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-always-listen-to-music-before-i-go-out-to-bat-any-track-really-just/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [It's usually the funny comments which are the better ones - and they are good for the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/it-s-usually-the-funny-comments-which-are-the-better-ones-and-they/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I actually love the Discovery Channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-actually-love-the-discovery-channel/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I'll take my iPod - though I'm not very good with gadgets to be honest - and that has everything I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-ll-take-my-ipod-though-i-m-not-very-good-with-gadgets-to-be-honest/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [Whatever was written in the media was beyond me. The only thing I could control was getting fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/whatever-was-written-in-the-media-was-beyond-me-the-only-thing-i/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

[Explore all 138 Andrew Flintoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

## More Back quotes

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I honestly would like to get that Frankie fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-honestly-would-like-to-get-that-frankie-fight-back/)

[Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/)

> [Drumming's pretty physical. We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/drumming-s-pretty-physical-we-sit-at-the-back-of-the-stage-getting/)

[Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/)

> [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/)

[Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/)

> [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/)

[Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/)

> [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/)

[George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/)

> [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/)

[Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/)

> [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/)

[Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/)

> [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/)

[Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/)

> [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/)

[Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/)

> [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/)

[Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/)

> [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/)

[Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/)

> [Ronaldo is just an athlete. He works so hard and back to back; he is always there. But if you work hard, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/ronaldo-is-just-an-athlete-he-works-so-hard-and-back-to-back-he-is/)

[Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/)

> [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/)

[Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/)

> [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/)

[Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/)

Browse all 9,709 Back quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I was great mates with Muttiah Muralitharan, dating back to the days when we both played together at Lancashire.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Andrew Flintoff"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitharan-dating-back-to-the-days/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Back"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitharan-dating-back-to-the-days/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0f/andrew-flintoff-3137_back_i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitha_305253.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0f/andrew-flintoff-3137_back_i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitha_305253.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0f/andrew-flintoff-3137_back_i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitha_305253.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was great mates with Muttiah Muralitharan, dating back to the days when we both played together at…” — Andrew Flintoff",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Andrew Flintoff",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I was great mates with Muttiah...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitharan-dating-back-to-the-days/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-was-great-mates-with-muttiah-muralitharan-dating-back-to-the-days/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
