Andrew Flintoff has revealed that he was once run out while batting for England because he could only 'hop' due to the effects of Viagra.

The 37-year-old all-rounder, who retired from full-time cricket in 2009, is currently promoting his second autobiography Second Innings with a nationwide stage tour during which he recounts the experience with the erectile dysfunction drug.

"It started with an article my ex sold to the News of the World," Flintoff told the Daily Mail. "It wasn’t very complimentary about my 'performance', if you get my meaning.

Great Sporting Moments: Cricket Show all 10 1 /10 Great Sporting Moments: Cricket Great Sporting Moments: Cricket GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 1.Bradman's final duck, The Oval, 14 August 1948

Cheered to the crease by fans and players for his final Test innings, Donald Bradman needed only four more runs for an average of 100. Facing leg-spinner Eric Hollies, Bradman blocked his first ball but was bowled by his second; one of only 44 Test wickets in Hollies's career. Bradman slowly returned to the pavilion - still the greatest, but bowing out on an almost tragic note. GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 2. Jim Laker takes 19 wickets in one test, Old Trafford, 31 July 1956

Another shot at statistical perfection that fell just short. After England had scored 459, Laker took 9-37 as the Australians were bowled out for 84; then, as the tourists followed on, Laker outdid himself, taking 10-53 on a dramatic final evening. England won by an innings and 170 runs, while Laker's off-breaks had earned him the miraculous match figures of 19-90. GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 3. Viv Richards mauls England, The Oval, 13 August, 1976

Before the series, England captain Tony Greig spoke of his intention to make the West Indies 'grovel'. But it was the hosts who were humiliated by the touring side. Viv Richards hit 232 in the drawn first Test, while the West Indies won the third and fourth to take the series. But at the Oval Richards hit an unforgettable 291, having been 200 not out at stumps on day one. He scored 38 fours, induced several pitch invasions, and looked well set to break Gary Sobers's Test record of 365 before he was bowled by Greig. GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 4. Shane Warne's 'Ball of the century', Old Trafford, 4 June, 1993

Few people in England knew anything about Shane Warne when he came in to begin his first over on the second day of the First Test in the 1993 Ashes series. His first ball drifted well outside Mike Gatting's leg stump, then turned so sharply that it missed both bat and pad to clip the bail on the off side. Gatting took some time to walk, being unable to believe his eyes. A star had been born, and a renaissance in spin bowling had been set in motion. GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 5. Brian Lara scores 400 not out, Antigua, 12 April, 2004

Having allowed Matthew Hayden to hold the Test score record for six months, Brian Lara seized it back with a monumental innings at Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John's. It was in the same stadium that he had claimed the record in 10 years earlier (with an innnings of 375) and against the same opponents - England. Meanwhile, his wider first class record - 501 not out - remained intact. GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 6. England win the second Ashes test , Edgbaston, 7 august, 2005

A Test match of unparalleled tension, culminating in an impossibly dramatic finale. When Brett Lee hit Steve Harmison through the offside two balls before the tenth wicket fell he almost won the Test for the Australians. At two-nil down England would have needed three straight wins to regain the Ashes. But the ball was cut off, Lee took only a single and Kasprowicz was left on strike, needing three runs. He gloved Harmison to Jones, and England were level. Amid the celebrations, Andrew Flintoff found the time to console brett Lee GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 7. Colin Cowdrey saves England with a broken arm, Lord's, 25 June, 1963

In a tightly contested Lord's test, England began the final over with numbers 10 and 11 at the crease. Then Len Shackleton was run out, with two balls remaining. Out came Cowdrey, who had retired hurt earlier after having his arm broken by a ball from Wes Hall - and the draw was saved. GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 8. Sobers hits six sixes in an over swansea, 31 August, 1968

The bowler was Glamorgan's Malcolm Nash. The batsman was Nottinghamshire's Gary Sobers, arguably the greatest all-rounder of all time. Sobers hit the first five balls of Nash's over for clean sixes; the sixth was caught on the boundary but carried over - making the first class game's first ever perfect 36. GETTY IMAGES Great Sporting Moments: Cricket 9. Mike Atherton v Allan Donald, Trent Bridge, 26 July, 1998

With the Fourth Test of South Africa's 1998 tour closely balanced, Donald, one of the great fast bowlers, unleashed a spell of terrifying ferocity. Atherton, struggling to see the ball in the final session of play, was none the less immovable - even when Donald thought he had edged a catch behind. Donald responded with a combination of four-letter abuse and terrifying bouncers, but Atherton survived until the close, and by the time Donald had him caught at square leg the next morning, the moment had been lost. England won by eight wickets. GETTY IMAGES

"So I decided I had to put that myth to bed even though I was in the middle of a Test match.

"I took three Viagra one night and didn’t realise how long they lasted. Trying to bat the next day in that state was not easy. I was run out, simply because I couldn’t move. I could only hop. It wasn’t worth it, either. Complete waste of time."

Flintoff, who was often a bullish presence at the crease during his international career, has also spoken about the depression which he unknowingly suffered from while at the top of the world game.

"Cricket gave me sleepless nights," he admitted. "David Lloyd (the former England and Lancashire coach) once told me never to put my helmet on until I got to the batting square."

I took wickets and everybody was celebrating around me and I just felt nothing, absolutely nothing. <p>Flintoff on his depression</p>

"Let them see your eyes. Walk out as if you own the place. And that’s what I always did. The truth is that I never felt like I owned anything. It was all an act. I was just scared."

It was, however, only in retirement that Flintoff realised he may suffer from the condition. After presenting a BBC documentary on depression in sports stars in 2012, Flintoff approached his own doctor.

"During that filming what I already knew deep down became very clear," he said. "With me it was most apparent at the 2007 World Cup."

"I took wickets and everybody was celebrating around me and I just felt nothing, absolutely nothing.

"I thought I was ill. I went to the team doctor. I had no idea what was wrong. I know now. I have seen experts about it and it was a relief to be told what it was."

Flintoff still takes anti-depressants on occasion to combat the illness but is happy to have a better understanding of his illness.

"I have at times [taken medication], yeah," he said. "That’s fine. I haven’t for a while but I get checks. Everything is great at the moment, life’s good.

"Sometimes you feel something and you know it’s there again. But I know what it is and that’s reassuring. Usually it passes.