Flintoff bowled absolutely magnificently for the second day in a row. He gave warning of his intent by smacking Brad Haddin on the pads with his third ball which beat the Australian wicketkeeper with sheer pace. The next delivery enticed Haddin forward to edge low to Paul Collingwood at second slip. He had failed to add anything further to his overnight score of 80.

Mitchell Johnson started briskly enough with a drive for four off Anderson. Then he was struck on the pads by a low full toss from Flintoff which if it had not been judged a no ball would have hit the stumps .Michael Clarke on 125 not out was seemingly unfazed by the powerful England bowling attack and set about Stuart Broad, who had replaced James Anderson at the Nursery End, with gusto by hitting a boundary.

Johnson, similarly off-drove Broad for four to bring up the 350 for Australia, but unfortunately for the visitors they then lost Clarke, bowled for 136 by Graeme Swann’s second delivery of the morning. 

Freddie Flintoff, still bounding powerfully  in from the Pavilion End after more than an hour of high-pace bowling took out  Nathan Hauritz for one and Peter Siddle for seven. He was showing no sign of the injuries that have plagued him. Johnson, dropped on 36 was riding his luck, hitting a difficult return shot to Swann, who was unable to gather the ball. He continued to play his full range of shots while wickets continued to fall around him. He was the last man out, bowled by Swann for 63 which included nine boundaries.

Australia, who had resumed at 313 for five in their second innings chasing 522 for victory, were bowled out for 406 in the morning session. England won by 115 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

The 2009 Ashes test, is proving to be every much as dramatic as all cricket fans hoped and the standard of cricket being played by both England and Australia has been of the highest standard . The next enthralling episode of the series commences in ten days time at Edgbaston, Birmingham. We can not wait!

The England cricket team are becoming increasingly hopeful that Andrew Flintoff can recover from his knee injury problem to play in the second 2009 Ashes test at Lord’s this week.  The Lancashire all-rounder had a precautionary scan on his right knee after experiencing pain fielding in the first test at Cardiff.

He has consulted the surgeon who operated on his knee earlier this year and has been told that there is every chance he can recover in time to take his place in the side on Thursday.  England coach Andy Flower advised that Flintoff had an injection which was being left to settle down and as a consequence is training with bat but will not be allowed to bowl until Wednesday.  It is only then that the decision to include him in the side will be made.

England have brought Steve Harmison into the squad as cover, but there is also an outside chance that England might consider playing Ian Bell as an extra batsman should Flintoff fail the fitness test in order to strengthen their batting options.