Vaughan said Flintoff's antics damaged team morale

The England skipper told the Guardian Flintoff's drunken antics on a pedalo damaged his team's World Cup chances.

"I was absolutely staggered when I read that, I just couldn't believe it," Jim Cumbes, the chief of Flintoff's county, told BBC Radio Five Live.

"It's despicable against a guy like Fred, who over the last few years has given England blood."

Interview: Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes

Vaughan will lead England out at Flintoff's home ground, Old Trafford, on Thursday in the third Test against West Indies.

Flintoff is currently recovering from ankle surgery and is expected to miss much of the season.

In the interview, Vaughan said Flintoff's behaviour had irreparably harmed England's team spirit, but Cumbes said the all-rounder would be hurt by the public criticism.

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on the reaction to Vaughan's comments

Cumbes added: "Rule one of any sport is that you don't slag your team-mates in public.

"I think Fred will be bitterly hurt by this, because the last thing he would dream of doing is let his team-mates down.

"Of course he wants to do well individually, but he wants to do well for his team-mates.

"He's played when he's been unfit and forced himself through it. He was the talisman in the Ashes series."

Flintoff lost the England vice-captaincy early in the World Cup after getting into difficulty on a pedalo following his team's defeat by New Zealand.

And in an interview in the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday, Vaughan said: "That changed the whole atmosphere in the camp.

"We went into the New Zealand game with a good attitude but didn't play well and after 'Fredalo' we just started taking it all too seriously.

"Suddenly you've got players who have no freedom left. I like to see players enjoy themselves but no one would dare go out after that incident - and you can't create any spirit then."