Flintoff missed the bus last Saturday that was taking the England team to a war memorial site in Flanders, Belgium while on a team-bonding trip.

The former England captain was then reprimanded by team management and received fierce criticism from the English media. Harmison, currently playing for England Lions against Australia, said Flintoff will not be adversely affected by the reaction when the Ashes series starts in Cardiff on Wednesday.   

“Andrew is a fantastic all-round cricketer and is somebody that this country needs to do well because of what he stands for in this country,” Harmison told reporters at Worcester. “He is a larger than life character and if he gets on a roll he will take 18,000 people with him at Cardiff next week.

“A lot of the stuff that has been said about him this week is untrue. We keep kicking our big sportsmen and it is horrendous why we keep kicking these people.

“In a few weeks time if he is holding a stump in the air after winning the Ashes, we will all be clapping our hands and saying Freddie’s brilliant. Andrew knows that and I’m sure he will be trying his heart out to beat Australia next week.”

Flintoff was man of the series in 2005 when England beat Australia for the first time since 1986-87. He was also captain of England when they subsequently lost the Ashes 5-0 in 2006-07.

Meantime, Harmison revealed that he does not think he will be picked on Sunday in England’s first Test squad in Cardiff that starts next Wednesday, despite troubling the Australian batsman while playing for England Lions.

“I made it difficult for them (Australia), I made it difficult for everybody, like the selectors to pick me for Cardiff,” Harmison told reporters. “(But) I don’t think they will pick me, it seems that they are going to play two spinners – to pick me I just don’t fit in.

“I fully understand if that’s the case, I will go back and play for Durham, work hard and try and get in for Lord’s or whenever they need me. 

“They know I’m fit, they know I can cause Australia problems and they know what I’m about so it’s up to them. If they don’t pick me it means they are winning the series.”