Flintoff boosts England hopes

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Flintoff, set to retire at the conclusion of this match, had so far failed to mark his last appearance with a major contribution as a batsman or bowler.

But just when it seemed Ponting (66) and Michael Hussey may be dismantling the script which sees England reclaim the urn, Flintoff came up with a moment of brilliance in the field to end their third-wicket stand of 127.

In an instant, Flintoff was once again acknowledging a hero's applause from a near 25,000 fourth-day sell-out crowd - and within an over his captain Andrew Strauss had come up with an alert piece of fielding too to run out Michael Clarke by the narrowest of margins, for a duck.

That made Australia 220 for four, in pursuit of an improbable world-record 546 to win - with Hussey (54no) needing to play the innings of a lifetime, and receive major support from his team-mates, to keep England at bay.

Ponting and Hussey had dug in to defy England for more than two-and-a-half hours, after two early wickets had raised home hopes.

Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann, the wreckers of Australia's first innings, each struck again as two wickets fell in four balls on a sunny fourth morning. After an opening stand of 86, both protagonists were gone lbw - Simon Katich pushing forward and padding up to Swann and Shane Watson pinned on the back foot by Broad.

Ponting and Hussey therefore came together without a run between them. Australia still need only a draw to retain the urn but victory to take the npower series 2-1 and therefore protect the number one Test ranking they have held since its inception.

In what may be his last Test innings against England in this country, Ponting was a study in concentration and determination, making his 48th Test fifty before Flintoff's strike from mid off.

Strauss then saw off Clarke, via a third umpire ruling after a flick to leg at Swann had unluckily ricocheted off short-leg back to leg-slip - from where the England captain somehow conveyed the ball on to the stumps with the batsman only just out of his ground.