Freddie Flintoff shares a laugh with England’s cricketers as facial injuries from his Top Gear crash continue to heal while he works with the team for their ODI match against New Zealand

Freddie Flintoff was all smiles as he oversaw a warm-up session ahead of England’s third ODI against New Zealand.

The English cricket legend was spotted for the first time in public on the following Saturday a near-fatal car accident while filming the BBC‘S Top gear to be seen in December 2022.

Flintoff made his first appearance since the accident this week when he returned to the England cricket team with visible cuts to his nose and mouth.

The 45-year-old joined Jos Buttler as an adviser during their one-day series against New Zealand and was photographed on the pitch at The Oval on Wednesday as the England players went through their warm-up.

Flintoff’s facial injuries appeared to be visibly better in the photos released today, compared to the photos taken Saturday.

Flintoff’s facial injuries from his Top Gear crash appear to have improved (right) since he was photographed in the public eye for the first time since Saturday’s accident (left)

Although his scars are still visible, they are not as visibly prominent as they were when he made his public return.

Riccardo Frati, a London-based surgeon with “extensive experience in post-traumatic injuries,” told the newspaper Daily star that crashes like Flintoff’s “are usually associated with a high mortality rate.”

He said: ‘Multiple superficial or deep wound injuries involving the skin and soft tissue in different layers could have been caused by this type of car crash trauma at such a high speed.

‘Deeper structures such as branches of facial nerves can be temporarily or permanently injured, resulting in partial or extensive facial paralysis.

Frati said after Flintoff was first photographed in the England camp: ‘The right side of his lower face appears to be drooping due to partial facial nerve damage affecting the various facial muscles responsible for the lower lip and facial muscle expressions. It is possible to be permanent, but the recovery will take a long time.’

The former all-rounder, who played the last of his 79 Tests in 2009, was on the field chatting to some players and former Sky commentator Kumar Sangakkara.

Wearing a baseball glove to act as a makeshift wicketkeeper, Flintoff cut a relaxed figure as he chatted to the players ahead of the third of four ODI against the Kiwis.

One of the great all-rounders of the English game and the hero of the 2005 Ashes triumph, Flintoff played 141 ODIs before retiring after England won the urn in 2009.

“It’s important for him and it’s great for the boys to have him there,” Paul Collingwood, England’s assistant Test coach, said on Tuesday.

“The knowledge he has in playing the game and the pressure situations – he pretty much summed up how this white-ball team goes about their cricket. It’s about putting pressure on the opposition, and that’s exactly what he did.

Flintoff was in a near-fatal car accident last December while recording an episode of BBC car series Top Gear at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey.

He was left with serious facial wounds and several broken ribs after his three-wheeled open-top car, which had no airbags, overturned while filming the popular BBC car show on December 13.

Flintoff then had to wait an ‘agonizing’ 45 minutes for an air ambulance – with the BBC later apologizing to him.

The father-of-four – who also narrowly cheated death after a 120mph crash in 2019 – quit his job at Top Gear after the accident and the BBC canceled the latest series of the show – with its future left in doubt .

Several staff members who witnessed the accident have taken indefinite sick leave due to post-traumatic stress disorder.

The BBC said yes continue to support Flintoff ‘with his recovery’, and add: ‘Under the circumstances we feel it is inappropriate to continue making series 34 of Top Gear at this time.

Flintoff was spotted chatting with former Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara

The legendary all-rounder has returned to cricket after miraculously surviving a horrific crash while filming the TV series Top Gear in December last year

The serious facial injuries Flintoff suffered in the crash are still clearly visible on his face

‘We understand this will be disappointing for the fans, but it is the right thing to do and we will make a judgment later this year on the best way to proceed.

‘This also has consequences for the production team, which we continue to support.

“Finally, a health and safety review of the show will take place, in line with our procedures.”

The latest news of his recovery comes after his former England teammate Steve Harmison revealed he had seen him just six weeks ago when Flintoff was still covering his face due to the severity of the injuries.

Flintoff was seen for the first time since last week’s crash as he returned to the England cricket team at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

Flintoff’s family (pictured with his wife Rachael and three of their four children) reportedly begged him to stay away from the set while he recovered from his injuries

“It was great to see him back,” he said on talkSPORT.

‘He was in great form but to see him in the England group, the main team, was fantastic.

This England team is a good bunch and they are not only great cricketers but also great ambassadors.

“Freddie was always brilliant in the dressing room and so to have Andrew in the dressing room with them and feel comfortable and let him get under the table because they’re going to be in for a show.”