Australia clung on for a draw to deny England victory with just one wicket standing in a thrilling finish to the third Ashes Test at Old Trafford on Monday.
Last-wicket pair Brett Lee (18 not out) and Glenn McGrath (five not out) survived the final four overs after captain Ricky Ponting fell for 156, his Test best score against England, having batted for nearly seven hours.
The draw left the five-Test series all square at 1-1.
Ponting was given out caught down the legside by wicket-keeper Geraint Jones off fast bowler Stephen Harmison but only after New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden deliberated for several seconds.
Ponting had faced 275 balls with one six and 16 fours, his the first century by an Australian batsman this series.
Australia, set a record 423 for victory, finished on 371 for nine.
England had high hopes of winning back-to-back Ashes Tests for the first time in 20 years after their two-run second Test win at Edgbaston, when they reduced Australia to 264 for seven after tea.
However, Ponting found a resilient partner in leg-spinner Shane Warne, who’d made 90 in the first innings after becoming the first bowler to take 600 Test wickets on Thursday.
But just when it seemed Warne, dropped on 30 by Hampshire team-mate Kevin Pietersen, would stay with his captain until the end he was out when he edged pace-bowling all-rounder Flintoff, on his home ground, to Andrew Strauss at second slip.
The ball hit the fielder on the right thigh but keeper Jones, reacting quickly, scooped up the rebound with his right glove and Warne was gone for 34.
That left Australia 340 for eight with just over nine overs left in the day after a stand of 76 lasting 22 overs.
Simon Jones, running in to bowl, left the field with seven overs remaining due to cramp.
Fast bowler Stephen Harmison then had a huge lbw shout against Brett Lee, on one, with Australia 341 for eight, rejected.
And later that over substitute Stephen Peters saw his throw at the stumps narrowly miss with Lee yards out of his ground.
No side had made more to win in the fourth innings of a Test than the 418 for seven West Indies scored against Australia at St John’s, Antigua in 2002-03.
At tea, Australia were 216 for five, needing a further 207 to win. Ponting was 91 not out and Michael Clarke, who’d been off the field for most of this match with a back problem, unbeaten on 20.
Ponting completed his 23rd Test century and fifth against England when he cover-drove Harmison for four.
But at the other end Clarke, having frustrated England in a sixth wicket stand of 81, fell when he shouldered arms to Jones on 39, the reverse swing specialist getting the ball to move back-in sharply and hit off-stump.
Jason Gillespie, Australia’s best defensive lower-order batsman, was sent in ahead of Warne only to be lbw to seamer Matthew Hoggard for nought as Australia declined to 264 for seven.
England took the new ball but in the end couldn’t quite make it count.
Earlier Flintoff struck twice in quick succession to remove Simon Katich and Adam Gilchrist.
Australia began after lunch on 121 for two with Ponting 41 not out and Damien Martyn 17 not out after openers Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden had fallen in the morning.
Martyn though was lbw on the backfoot to Harmison for 19, although replays suggested the batsman may have got an inside edge first.
England saw the back of Katich for 12 when his drive off Flintoff was caught by Giles, above his head, at third slip.
Flintoff then had the out-of-touch Gilchrist caught by Ian Bell in the gully for four.
Australia resumed Monday on 24 without loss in front of a 23 000 capacity crowd.
Langer was 14 not out and fellow left-hander Hayden five not out.
In the second over of the day England had a breakthrough, Hoggard’s first ball seeing Langer caught behind.
Flintoff twice had left-hander Hayden edging through the slips before bowling him behind his legs for 36. – Sapa-AFP