Andrew Flintoff's maiden Test hundred against Australia was the centrepiece of an impressive England total in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge here on Friday. At tea, on the second day, England had been bowled out for 477 after Flintoff had made 102.
It was England's highest total in a Trent Bridge Test against Australia since they made 658 for eight declared in 1938.
Simon Jones, who shared a useful last wicket stand of 23 with Matthew Hoggard was 15 not out after his fellow pace bowler became legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne's fourth victim of the innings.
Warne finished with four for 102 and debutant Shaun Tait was the pick of Australia's quicks with three for 97 in an attack minus the miserly Glenn McGrath, out with a right elbow injury. Flintoff, playing in his first Ashes series after injuries and loss of form meant he'd missed previous encounters against Australia, allied good judgement to his familar power as well as familiar power as England, with the five-match Ashes series level at 1-1, made a bid to pull away.
Together with Geraint Jones, who made 85, his best against Australia, he put on 177 in nearly 40 overs. It was the highest stand for any wicket, by either side, in the series to date.
Flintoff faced 132 balls with one six and 14 fours before he was lbw, hitting across the line, to Tait.
At lunch England were 344 for five, Flintoff 73 not out and wicket-keeper Jones unbeaten on 34, the pair sharing their fourth century stand in Test cricket.
First ball after lunch fast bowler Brett Lee was convinced he'd had Jones caught behind by wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist.
But West Indies umpire Steve Bucknor, the only man to have stood in 100 Tests, rejected the appeal and replays suggested there may have been two noises with Jones's bat first hitting the ground. Flintoff, who'd flayed Australia for 73 in England's two-run 1-1 series-levelling victory at Edgbaston, his previous Test best score against them, struck paceman Michael Kasprowicz for three boundaries in four balls to move into the 90s.
But the England pair were also taking quick singles and such a run, off Lee, gave Jones a 93-ball fifty with four fours.
Then, with Flintoff on 99, leg-spin great Shane Warne came round the wicket in an attempt to frustrate the 27-year-old Lancashire star into error.
Flintoff then caused a huge collective intake of breath amongst the crowd when he just missed edging an attempted cut into Gilchrist's gloves. But to the first ball of Warne's following over, fans' favourite Flintoff's onside push saw him complete a 121-ball hundred, his fifth in Test cricket, with one six and 14 fours.
His exit left England 418 for six, but Jones continued to keep the scoreboard ticking as Australia bowled too many half-volleys and short balls for comfort.
However Kasprowicz, who dropped a caught and bowled chance given by Kevin Pietersen on Thursday, dismissed Jones - who like the bowler was educated in Brisbane - 15 short of a hundred when he dived forward to hold the Kent gloveman's checked drive.
England then 450 for seven, lost Ashley Giles and Stephen Harmison as Warne took two wickets for one run in seven balls.
Last man Simon Jones was deceived by Lee on 15 only for the ball to hit the stumps but fail to dislodge the bails.
After resuming Friday on 229 for four, England scored 115 runs in the first session's 29 overs for the loss only of Pietersen (45), caught behind off Lee.
Flintoff reached fifty when he swept Warne, off the last delivery with the old ball, for six.
Australia gave the new ball to Tait but his first delivery Friday was cover-driven by keeper Jones for four. And on a still good batting pitch, Flintoff struck the 22-year-old South Australian for three fours in quick succession as the bowler veered between being too short and over-pitching.
SCOREBOARD
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ENGLAND
(1st Innings - overnight: 229-4)
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M. Trescothick b Tait 65
A. Strauss c Hayden b Warne 35
M. Vaughan c Gilchrist b Ponting 58
I. Bell c Gilchrist b Tait 3
K. Pietersen c Gilchrist b Lee 45
A. Flintoff lbw b Tait 102
G. Jones c and b Kasprowicz 85
A. Giles lbw b Warne 15
M. Hoggard c Gilchrist b Warne 10
S. Harmison st Gilchrist b Warne 2
S. Jones not out 15
EXTRAS: (B-1, LB-15, W-1, NB-25) 42
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TOTAL: (all out, 123.1 overs, 540 mins) 477
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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-105, 2-137, 3-146, 4-213, 5-241, 6-418, 7-450, 8-450, 9-454
BOWLING: Lee 32-2-131-1 (8nb); Kasprowicz 32-3-122-1 (13nb); Tait 24-4-97-3 (4nb); Warne 29.1-4-102-4; Ponting 6-2-9-1 (1w)
AUSTRALIA: Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (capt), Damien Martyn, Simon Katich, Michael Clarke, Adam Gilchrist (wkt), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Michael Kasprowicz
TOSS: England
UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (PAK), Steve Bucknor (WIS)
TV UMPIRE: Mark Benson (ENG)
MATCH REFEREE: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI).
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