England built a massive first-innings total of 477 around a breathtaking hundred from Andrew Flintoff and then tore through the Australian top order to leave the world champions in disarray.

Australia closed on 99-5, still requiring 179 runs to avoid the follow-on, with only Simon Katich (20*) and Adam Gilchrist left of their specialised batsmen. It is hard to see how they can come back to save this Test match against a rampant England attack unless weather intervenes again.

Matthew Hoggard was chief destroyer for the first time in the series, taking 3-32 in 11 overs that were a masterclass of swing bowling in Nottingham's bowler-friendly conditions. Ironically, Australia had spent the time since the Old Trafford Test match in endless debates about reverse-swing, but forgot about the dangers of the conventional variety. It was the perfect vindication of England's policy of selecting an attack to cover all bases and then sticking by them in all conditions. "The net bowler" revelled in conditions like the proverbial pig.

But without Flintoff's sixth-wicket partnership of 177 with the cavalier Geraint Jones (85), Australia would have begun their innings in a totally different position. Following Flintoff's dismissal, the last four wickets put on only 59, suggesting that Australia would have bowled England out for 300 without those vital runs. The tailenders were as bamboozled as ever against Shane Warne and could not have been relied upon to support a senior batsman.

Flintoff is the difference between the two sides in this series. It is not enough to say he is a good enough allrounder to play as a batsman or bowler and that England play with 12 men. The reality is that he is world-class with both bat and ball and the biggest star of the world XI to take on Australia in October.

Great cricketers rise to great challenges and Flintoff has risen magnificently to the ultimate challenge of the Ashes. He has not only found an extra yard of pace he has also found a way to master Shane Warne and looked a more complete batsman than ever before. The Australians have enormous respect for him and many of them congratulated him on his ton, including fellow champions Warne and Gilchrist.

His hundred was a measured innings, during which he perfectly adapted his game to the demands of the situation. Whereas Kevin Pietersen (45) attacked from the outset and fell early, Flintoff played himself in cautiously before gradually increasing his dominance.

Rookie paceman Shaun Tait had a rude awakening when he disappeared to the boundary rope three times in one over. Welcome to Test cricket! But Flintoff was just as disrespectful against the veteran Michael Kasprowicz, whose game is built on tight control, but went for three boundaries of his own just the same.

In between the strokeplay there were periods when Flintoff nudged singles and twos to the spread field and appeared to be able to score at will. It meant he was rarely becalmed and went to a hundred in only 129 balls. There were few risks taken and only twice did he hit the ball in the air, once to drive Shane Warne over his head and once to sweep him into the Fox Road Stand for six to bring up his fifty.

Both shots were controlled, without the hint of the slogs into the deep that cost him his wicket earlier in the summer. A third of his runs came through the cover region, the favourite area for players of high elbow and straight bat.

When he reached three figures for the first time against Australia, Flintoff seemed momentarily overcome by having reached the ultimate goal of every English Test batsman, and his dismissal a short time later was no surprise, although the lbw decision to Tait was a little generous on the umpire's part.

Blocking the passage to the tail, as significantly as Flintoff, was Geraint Jones. What a lucky cricketer Jones is to be able to play so superbly well, cutting and driving with his customary panache, but remain in the shadow of a colossus. Unlike Flintoff, whose knock was chanceless, Jones required some luck to get through. First ball after lunch, on 34, he nicked Brett Lee to Gilchrist but was given not out.

It was one of several decisions that went England's way as all Australia's bad karma at wiping out oppositions over the years came back to haunt them. Damien Martyn (1) was given out lbw to Hoggard despite nicking it onto his pads, his second such decision in consecutive innings, and Ricky Ponting (1) also seemed to get a faint inside edge when he was given lbw to Simon Jones.

But so many chances were being created by Jones and Hoggard that wickets were always going to tumble. Australia played like a team under siege, frozen by their fear of being their first side to be defeated in an Ashes series since 1986-87. Matthew Hayden (7) was struck on the pad plumb in front and saved by a faint edge, so Hoggard simply repeated the looping inswinger next ball and Hayden duly missed it.

Only Australia's selectors believe Hayden should still be in their side, although all England supporters are delighted that he is still there. His opening partner, Justin Langer (27) was fourth man out, another left-handed victim of Hoggard's inswing, gloving the ball onto his pads and on to Ian Bell at short leg.

Two balls later Simon Katich steered the ball to Bell but he dropped a sharp chance. Michael Clarke (36) batted fluently for a while but was trapped lbw by Steve Harmison, the last dramatic act of a day totally dominated by England. Australia will need a miracle to get out of jail this time.

26 Aug, 2005