England wait on Freddie

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All-rounder Flintoff batted in the middle at Headingley on Wednesday but opted not to bowl as a precautionary measure.

Fast bowler Graham Onions said: "Everyone knows that Andrew Flintoff is a legend who is a great person to have in our team. I think we are a stronger team with him but that is only if he is 100% fit."

The 31-year-old has been icing his injured right knee since the Edgbaston draw on Monday evening, which left England 1-0 up with two to play.

He did not bowl in that match once it became obvious England could not win and the management are likely to put off any decision until the morning of the match.

Flintoff has so far defied the pain to turn in a man-of-the-match display with the ball at Lord's and returned to form with the bat with 74 in England's only innings in Birmingham.

Onion added: "Andrew's going to be very honest. It is a shame that his body is in a little bit of discomfort at the moment but I am sure he will do everything he possibly can to be fit."

England's attack have offered a collective menace throughout the series when the ball has swung but have been less effective when the sun is out and the track is flat.

Flintoff's aggression generally takes the effect of the conditions out of the equation, however, and they tend to change with the weather in Leeds - cloud cover usually brings wickets and sunshine runs.

"When the ball swings it is a massive bonus and it is a great thing to have as a bowler," said Onions. "For us as England cricketers, we need to make sure the ball swings or does something off the straight, or be aggressive. We've got a few plans that we need to bowl to. But we've still got the belief we can beat Australia without the ball swinging and we were close to winning the last Test."