It can’t get any better than this! The long hard wait of 75 years is over and what a way Flintoff has wrapped up the Australian innings with a hostile and fiery spell. It was his final appearance for England in the longest version of the game at lords and nothing less than yesterday’s feat would have satisfied ‘Freddie’.

The final day started off with England as the favorites. However Australia too looked upbeat about clinching a thriller with Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin at the crease. England was in search for that solitary wicket which would expose the Australian tail. Flintoff drew the first blood of the day by removing Haddin in his first over and put England on the brink of the historic win. Mitchell Johnson had provided an excellent support to Clarke, who was bowled by Greame Swann, when he tried to play on the up. After the exit of Clarke, it was just formality, but Johnson showed some character and played some magnificent shots. Finally Swann removed Johnson to complete an emphatic win and recapture the castle after 75 years.

Flintoff was firing on all cylinders in his last match at Lords. His reverse swinging inswingers against the right-handers proved lethal during his fiery spell. All the wickets he got on the last day were of peach deliveries. It would not have answers even from the batting maestros. He was right on the money from the first ball and his length perplexed the Aussie batsmen. Flintoff showed with his performance, why he is being called as ‘People’s Hero’ and he has given them the best gift, which the Brits will cherish for long.