Flintoff leads England to victory

12 April 2012

Andrew Flintoff claimed only the third five-wicket haul of his Test career as England completed their first Lord's triumph over Australia for 75 years.

The 31-year-old all-rounder claimed five for 92 as Australia, chasing an unlikely victory target of 522, were dismissed for 406 shortly before lunch on the final day to seal England's 115-run triumph.

The emphatic victory, England's first Ashes win at Lord's since 1934, puts them 1-0 ahead in the five-Test series with three matches remaining and establishes them as firm favourites to emulate the success of 2005 and regain the Ashes.

Australia had resumed the final morning in front of a sell-out Lord's crowd on 313 for five with high hopes of claiming the 209 more runs required to reach the world record victory target.

Michael Clarke and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin had forged an unbroken 185-run partnership overnight but Flintoff quickly shifted the balance in England's favour by claiming the breakthrough with his third ball of the day.

Haddin had failed to add to his overnight 80 when he fished at a full-length delivery outside off-stump, which flew low to Paul Collingwood at second slip.

And a change of pace proved successful for England as Graeme Swann floated up his second delivery and the ball beat Clarke's advance on the outside edge before pitching and spinning to hit off-stump.

Flintoff claimed his second wicket of the morning in the next over with new batsman Nathan Hauritz making the fatal misjudgement of leaving a full-length ball which nipped back down the hill from the Pavilion End to knock back his off-stump.

Flintoff then angled one down the hill and the ball fizzed through Peter Siddle's tentative prod.

Mitchell Johnson continued to throw the bat, however, taking advantage of England's deep-set fields to reach a half-century from 62 deliveries before he played one shot too many and was bowled by Swann.

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