Ready Freddie !

If England are close to winning the Edgbaston Test, after Australia8217;s bowling rampage on Saturday, much of the credit lies with Andrew Flintoff who showed, with bat and ball, just how much of a difference a genuine all-rounder can make.

At stumps, Australia were 175/8, needing 106 runs to win. Steve Harmison had bowled Michael Clarke with the last ball of the day.

But this was Freddie8217;s day. He came in to bat with England in the process of caving in to Shane Warne and Brett Lee, at 72/5, only 171 runs ahead.

Then he got into the act. First, an 86-ball 73 to give Australia a defendable target, and then two wickets in one over when Aussie openers were cruising away. He came back in the dying moments of the day to get Jason Gillespie too.