Andrew Flintoff has called on the English cricketing public to show their love for the NatWest Twenty20 Blast - and under-pressure Test captain Alastair Cook . The Blast 's stock is at a new high , in its second year and 12th for the Twenty20 domestic format , with the England and Wales Cricket Board announcing much-improved advance ticket sales and a clutch of overseas superstars such as Brendon McCullum set to take part . Cook , however , is at a much lower ebb as his quest for a long overdue Test century - to add to his record 25 - brought him two more failures at the top of the order in the opening match of England 's series in the West Indies . Andrew Flintoff shares a joke with Warwickshire and England 's Chris Woakes at the T20 Blast launch . Under-pressure England captain Alastair Cook walks out to bat during the first Test in Antigua this week . He nonetheless has a supporter in former England team-mate and fellow 2009 Ashes-winner Flintoff . ' I get fed up of people having a go at Alastair Cook , ' the all-rounder told Sky Sports News , as he helped to launch this year 's Blast competition - back at Edgbaston where he came within one more big hit of winning last year 's final with Lancashire . ' I was captain when Alastair came into the side . ' I got a lot of things wrong as England captain , but the one thing I got right was picking Alastair Cook . 'He 's one of England 's finest ever players . If you have a career spanning more than 100 Test matches , there are going to be blips along the way . 'But Alastair ... will get through this . I 'd like to see people outside the England team backing the lad . 'It 's nice some time when you get a bit of loving from people , and I think that 's the only thing that 's missing with Alastair at the minute . ' Flintoff has thrown his weight behind his former teammate Cook with the West Indies series ongoing . Woakes and Hampshire 's James Vince ( right centre ) look in high spirits at Edgbaston . Flintoff wants to spread the love too for a tournament he hopes will become an institution in British sport . 'You 've seen the success of Twenty20 cricket around the world , and the appetite for it in England is no different , ' he added . ' I went to watch Lancashire v Yorkshire last year - 25,000 people ( were there ) . I was fortunate enough to play in finals day at Edgbaston - a terrific night , even though we lost . 'You find a new audience with the NatWest Blast - an introduction to cricket . 'With some of the overseas signings coming over this year , and the English players , there 's a lot to be excited about . ' There was a player for all 18 counties present at the launch on Thursday . At 37 , Flintoff is still unsure whether he will be playing again - having made a comeback in 2014 , five years after his retirement . He does have a view on the future of his ex-England colleague Kevin Pietersen , though . After his sacking last year , 34-year-old Pietersen is hoping a welter of first-class runs for Surrey can pave his way back to Test cricket this Ashes summer . Flintoff said : 'He wants to play Test cricket again , but he 's going to have to state his case . 'You ca n't just walk into a side - there are lads , especially in the batting order , in possession of places and performing . '
NatWest Twenty20 Blast launched at Edgbaston on Thursday . Andrew Flintoff was present with a player from each county . Former Twenty20 captain backed under-fire Test captain Alastair Cook .