Day three match report Day three as it happened

"It's important tomorrow to come out with the same intent we ended today, perhaps more," said Flintoff.

"We need to peg Australia back and get a couple of quick wickets early on and take it from there."

Flintoff took the wicket of Ricky Ponting late on Saturday to leave Australia on 277-2.

Ponting's dismissal made the Lancastrian only the second player to score 300 runs and take 20 wickets in an Ashes series, following Ian Botham in 1981.

England struggled to make inroads against Australia's batsmen in a stop-start day.

Ponting and, earlier, Justin Langer were the only wickets on a day when just 45.4 overs were bowled.

Flintoff admitted England had struggled to find the sort of reverse swing which has troubled Australia throughout the Ashes.

And he also admitted the absence of the injured Simon Jones had affected him and the rest of England's bowlers.

Martyn escapes with an edge that is not given out

"We realised that with Simon Jones not playing we'd have to take a bit more responsibility," he said. "I've bowled a few more overs but one more Test won't hurt.

"I do feel a bit dishevelled but generally all right to be honest. Added to that, I had ankle trouble in the last Test but that's calmed down.

"We came looking for reverse-swing, but the damp conditions nullified that, we bowled alright as a group, put the balls in the right areas but Australia played well today."

Although Australia are in a dominant position, Flintoff said: "Whatever the situation, we'll be out there fighting.

"It would have been a tougher task if they'd come out and scored runs quicker this morning but we're still in this match."

Flintoff could well have had another wicket to his name when damien Martyn appeared to glance a short one through to wicket-keeper Geraint Jones, but England did not appeal very forcefully for the catch.

"I went up but there's a lot of noise out there and the crowd were loud," Flintoff explained. "A few beers had gone down and they were quite vocal. I went up on what I heard."

He summed up what England's approach should be for the remainder of the match by adding: "We need a draw or a win.

"Every ounce of energy we've got left in our tanks is going to have to be left out in the middle.

"The character, will and strength of this side is going to have to be called upon again but I think we can do that."