Andrew Flintoff turns the Aussies to Ashes in historic Lord's Test

Andrew Flintoff inspired England to a historic victory over Australia in the Ashes today.

Flintoff blew apart the Australian lower-order batsmen as England claimed a first Test win over Australia at Lord's since 1934.

The all-rounder, nicknamed "Freddie", claimed three wickets today as Australia were dismissed for 406, giving England a 115-run victory.

After he was named man of the match for taking five second innings wickets, Flintoff said: "You may be aching a little bit but when the crowd gets behind you, you can't stop."

His captain Andrew Strauss praised Flintoff's performance as "magnificent". Flintoff's heroics were watched at the ground by his wife Rachel and millions on television.

The City virtually halted as traders tuned into the dramatic final overs.

This morning the Aussies went back into action believing they could win the Second Test, and create a world record, by chasing down a never before achieved target of 522.

And maybe, without Flintoff to terrorise them, they might have got close. But with the man who will retire from Test cricket at the end of this series charging in like a man possessed, the visitors never stood a chance.

Bowling 10 overs from the Pavilion End, he sent back Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz and Peter Siddle this morning to finish with five for 92 as Australia, 313 for five when play resumed this morning, were dismissed for 406 some 15 minutes before lunch.

England are now one up in the series and if Flintoff's body will only hold together for three more Tests then the Ashes really could be coming home.

But that can wait. For the moment nothing is more important than saluting Flintoff, something which a 20,000-plus crowd did with great glee today, as he finally got his name on the MCC's bowling honours board at the 10th time of asking.

When the 31-year-old bowled Siddle to claim only the third five-for in 77 Tests, he went down on one knee in mid-pitch to celebrate his achievement. Then he turned to every quarter of the ground and heard his name being roared out by the fans. What a well deserved ovation for a giant of a man.

Flintoff was not England's only star today, Graeme Swann picked up a couple of wickets — including that of century-maker and danger man in chief Michael Clarke. But no one wanted to take glory away from Super Fred'.

It is a mark of Australia's pedigree – and a general feeling that nothing much has proved beyond them, cricket-wise, in recent years — that they were only 13-2 against reaching their target with bookmakers when England had them 242 for five yesterday and a new ball was just around the corner. Those odds were down to 5-2 by start of play this morning, and bright sunshine was not exactly what home supporters wanted. Heavy cloud cover and a bit of humidity would have been preferable with swing bowling in mind.

Last night, just as the new ball became available, Strauss called his team together for what looked suspiciously like a we'd better pull our finger out' pep talk.

Whatever he said, it almost worked with Flintoff and Anderson both going close to breaking the sixth wicket stand. But, even so, England were almost certainly as relieved as Australia to get off the field when bad light intervened.

This morning, though, there was much more of a spring in the home team's step. Strauss had called them together again, an hour or so before start of play, and if the message was "let's just start well" both his strike bowlers responded perfectly.

Anderson, off the boil for much of yesterday, began with a challenging maiden to Clarke, who was not too far away from falling lbw when padding up to one that came back at him.
Almost inevitably, though, it was Flintoff who did the trick for England — and it took him just four deliveries.

Thundering in with a packed pavilion behind him, he hit 90mph straight away. And when Haddin pushed an angled bat towards another back of a length missile outside off stump, the resulting edge flew low — but undeniably on the full — to Paul Collingwood at second slip.

What a result for England: not a run added to the overnight stand of 185 and only four more wickets required.

Job done, then? Well, against most teams, perhaps, but these Aussies were never going to come too quietly — especially with Clarke still at the crease and hoping to bat Flintoff out of the attack.

Johnson may have bowled like a drain so far this series but he is no mug with the bat, as a century against South Africa four months ago underlines, and he soon gave Stuart Broad a bit of tap after surviving a stone cold lbw dismissal through Flintoff overstepping the crease.

Super Fred' needed some help — and it was Swann who provided it when he replaced Broad. The spinner tossed up his second delivery and was soon punching the air like a football goal-scorer as he had Clarke dismissed with what was effectively a yorker, with the ball turning back sharply to hit off stump.

A masterly near five and a half hour innings had come to a close, and England really could see a wide open door — especially once Flintoff's reverse swing flattened Nathan Hauritz's off stump to make the total 363 for eight.
Siddle simply could not prevent Flintoff from getting his fifth wicket, having his stumps shattered and then Swann wrapped it up by bowling Johnson.