Flintoff Wins Duel With Hughes But Australia Fight Back

In the afternoon the runs still flowed and we were treated to the first proper duel of the series. It involved Andrew Flintoff and Phillip Hughes and it was captivating.

Flintoff peppered him with plenty of short deliveries; he had a word. He bowled 94mph from around the wicket. Hughes was uncomfortable but still he threaded the odd delivery through the off-side in his unorthodox style.

Then Flintoff switched to over the wicket and snatched his first Australian scalp of the summer. Hughes swished and the ball took the inside edge and Matt Prior held an excellent catch. Flintoff raised his arms aloft to the Grandstand. The Grandstand roared back.

But Ricky Ponting was on his game. Broad found the middle of his front pad early on but that pad was outside the line. Thereafter the ball found the middle of his bat at regular intervals. Meanwhile Simon Katich was reliability personified, looking a far more significant obstacle than in 2005.

Strauss switched his bowlers. There was spin for both Swann and Monty Panesar, but it was slow and predictable. And for Australia the second hour bordered on serenity. Katich, measured and patient, bided his time to reach his half-century while Ponting picked up his runs without anyone really noticing. My prediction of a draw was no longer looking so daft.