England talisman expresses 'a quiet confidence' that hosts can force win for a 2-0 Ashes lead

Published on Monday 3 August 2009 00:05

ANDREW Flintoff's spectacular return to form with the bat yesterday opened up the chance for England to take a 2-0 lead in the Ashes.

The giant all-rounder cracked 74, his highest Test score on home soil since Australia's last tour here four years ago, to help England towards a 113-run lead on first innings.

Two evening wickets, including Graeme Swann's prize scalp of the tourists' captain Ricky Ponting, sends Australia into the final morning still 25 runs in arrears and needing to bat most of the 98 overs scheduled for today.

More than 13,000 tickets have been sold in advance, and it is expected the 21,000 capacity will be reached by a walk-up crowd expecting to witness another Edgbaston thriller.

"It's probably the best atmosphere you play in in this country," said Flintoff, one of the heroes of the dramatic 2005 win over Australia. "At Edgbaston they've always got behind the side. It has helped us in the past, and we hope it will help us tomorrow. I'm sure the crowd will get behind us, and it does give a big lift to the lads."

Having defied the pain in his right knee to bowl England to victory at Lord's, his belligerent batting has now given them an edge. "I'd swap anything to win the game tomorrow," Flintoff said. "It's a big day for us. We've worked hard in this Test so far and we've obviously lost some play to rain, but going into tomorrow that first session is going to be massive for both sides.

"It would be nice if we could start as we did the other day, but if we can start well and put some pressure on Australia we can win the Test match."

Australia were well placed when they reduced England to 168 for five in helpful bowling conditions. But Flintoff altered the momentum with some clean hitting, alongside Matt Prior (41) and then Stuart Broad (55).

Flintoff eventually succumbed in unusual circumstances, caught at slip off the glove not playing a stroke to a sharp turner from Nathan Hauritz.

Asked how disappointed he was to miss out on a hundred, he said: "It would have been nice to have got one, but if someone had given me 70-odd when I went out to bat I'd have taken it. We've played some good cricket so far in this game and we have belief and a quiet confidence."

That assurance was certainly increased by the Swann delivery, which ripped through Ponting's gate to send the decibel levels through the roof.

"When you get Ricky out it always gives you a lift," added Flintoff.

"He's probably the best player in the world, and to get him out you've got to bowl a decent delivery. It was the perfect off-spinner's dismissal. It spun out of the rough, and we hope it will start spinning even more tomorrow."

Flintoff, 31, is expecting a full role with the ball before the series moves on to Headingley – where he hopes to feature in his penultimate Test, having failed to take a wicket in Birmingham thus far. "I don't think it's my knee that's been stopping me – I just don't think I bowled very well," he said.

"It would be easy to say my knee's hurting, but so far in this Test match I've not bowled as well as I'd like to.

"I'm not going to sit and make excuses for that; I just need to get better. It's no secret I've got a bit of a dicky knee but I'm still able to bowl at a decent pace and I can still run in... I want to play in every Test in the series, and it would have to be something very serious for me not to."

Swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus gave Australia hope of pressurising the home team in the latter stages of the game when he dismissed Strauss and Paul Collingwood before lunch.

He finished with four wickets in the innings – but despite his efforts, his side's expectations have diminished.

"We are always trying to win, but the rain has taken too much out of the game for us," said Hilfenhaus, the most prolific bowler in the series.

"If you can't win, the next best thing is a draw. This morning our plan was to try to knock them over early and get a lead.

"It didn't quite happen the way we wanted, so now we are back to Plan B and will try to bat the day out."