England's Andrew Flintoff speaks during a World Cup cricket news conference in Rodney Bay yesterday. - REUTERS

RODNEY BAY, St. Lucia (Reuters):

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff said on Monday there would never be a repeat of the late-night drinking binge which led to him being stripped of the World Cup vice-captaincy.

The 29-year-old was one of six players fined for a breach of team discipline on Friday night following the six-wicket defeat to Group C rivals New Zealand.

He was suspended for Sunday's victory over Canada which leaves England needing another win over Kenya to qualify for the next Super Eights stage.

After leaving a nightclub close to the team's St. Lucia hotel, Flintoff got into a pedalo on the water in the early hours and later needed to be rescued after falling off it, according to British media reports.

"There's no secret we had a few drinks on Friday. It's been documented in the press what happened afterwards with a little bit of poetic licence," a downbeat Flintoff told reporters at the hotel.

"There was water involved and a pedalo as well. But I don't want to go into detail. I don't think my life was in danger.

"It's something that I'm not proud of and something which shouldn't have happened. Being left out for these reasons is something I'm upset about and I never want to happen again."

More revelations about Friday's antics appeared in British newspapers on Monday, with some witnesses saying the players were so drunk in the nightclub they were kissing each other.

Players fined

James Anderson, Jon Lewis, Ian Bell, Paul Nixon and Liam Plunkett were the other players fined.

Flintoff, who has slimmed down considerably from his early cricket days, would not comment in detail about having the vice-captaincy taken away but was focused on Saturday's final group game with Kenya.

"I can't look at that in this moment of time. It was a horrible feeling (to be dropped). I enjoy playing for England and want to continue doing that," he said.

"Hopefully, I get picked on Saturday to play against Kenya. I've had things in my career before when I was younger that I had to come back from.

"I desperately want to perform. I feel I let the team down over the weekend. All I can do is apologise."

As he left the news conference, Flintoff was applauded by tourists and England fans in the hotel lobby. He signed autographs, shook hands and posed for photographs.