STEVE Harmison described Andrew Flintoff’s retirement as a ‘‘sad day for English cricket’’.

Flintoff has confirmed he has played his last game of professional cricket after being told his body would not be able to cope with his planned comeback.

The all-rounder has not played since the final Ashes Test last summer and has seen a number of return dates come and go in his fight to overcome a chronic knee problem.

A make-or-break meeting with his surgeon this week forced the 32-year-old to accept a 14-year career – which included 79 Tests and 140 oneday internationals – was over.

Harmison has been a close friend of Flintoff throughout his career. He admitted he found the news of Flintoff’s retirement ‘‘devastating’’, but offered praise to his former England colleague.

‘‘It’s a sad day for English cricket,’’ Harmison said.

‘‘People look for words to describe Andrew and coming from someone close to him in the dressing room he’s been an inspirational character, not just for Lancashire, not just for England, but for children growing up and for his team-mates as well.

‘‘I spoke to Andrew this morning and he was dejected and disappointed about having to make the decision.

‘‘I’m sure it’ll be a relief off his shoulders and he can move on.’’ Harmison explained how Flintoff found it difficult to accept he would not play again.

‘‘It’s been very hard,’’ Harmison said. ‘‘He’s a cricketer, that’s all Andrew’s ever wanted to be since he was nine, 10, 11 years old.

‘‘It’s taken him a year to make this decision, if not more.

‘‘He tried his hardest to get back and when the surgeon said yesterday he couldn’t get back it’ll have been a long night for him, just knowing that he’s not going to take the field again.

‘‘It’s sad for everybody - it’s sad for everybody and it’s devastating for Andrew - that they’re not going to see this talisman for England, this inspirational cricketer, not just on international field but any field at all.’’ Flintoff had a knee operation last August, the day after what proved his final appearance when he helped England regain the Ashes at The Oval.

He had already announced his Test match retirement back then but remained optimistic for much of the past 12 months that he could battle back to prove himself one of the world’s outstanding limited- overs cricketers.

A second operation at the start of this year delayed any comeback date, and it was ominous last month that – on the day he was hoping to make a tentative return for Lancashire 2nd XI – he instead accepted he would not be playing this summer after all.

‘‘It is with both disappointment and sadness that I am today announcing my retirement from all forms of cricket,’’ Flintoff spelled out in a statement via his management company.

‘‘The decision to end my career came after consultation with medical advisers.’’