Flintoff dropped for Canada match

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, March 18 (Reuters) England vice-captain Andrew Flintoff has been dropped for the World Cup Group C match with Canada today because of a breach of team discipline.

Several England players were fined yesterday for a late night drinking session following Friday's defeat by New Zealand.

All-rounder Ravi Bopara replaced Flintoff in England's line-up, which was otherwise unchanged from the New Zealand match.

''Andrew Flintoff has been left out of the team for a breach of team discipline. A further statement will be issued in due course,'' an England statement read.

At the toss, England captain Michael Vaughan refused to say much more.

''We'll talk about it later with the management group. He is not here today. He is back at the team hotel,'' he said.

Flintoff is known as a big drinker but has shed weight and cut his drinking significantly in recent years as he became one of the game's top-class all-rounders.

However, he was famously hungover on the team's open-top bus as England celebrated their 2005 Ashes victory through the streets of London.

REUTERS DH VC1908