Flintoff put through his paces

Andrew Flintoff came through 35 minutes' bowling in the Headingley nets on Thursday morning as he tried to prove his fitness for the fourth npower Test against Australia.

England's pivotal all-rounder will retire from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes this month but has been instrumental in his country's 1-0 lead so far, with two matches to play.

Flintoff, who is nursing a chronic injury in his right knee, is one of a 14-man squad chosen by England selectors, who have included both batting and bowling cover for him.

England captain Andrew Strauss admitted this lunchtime it was still "impossible to know" whether Flintoff will be fit come tomorrow morning.

The hosts will therefore leave their decision until the last minute, Strauss explaining: "We need to see how he reacts to the work he did today - and we probably won't know that for sure until the morning.

"It's no different this time. That's been the situation pretty much the whole way through the series.

"If he's fit enough to do his job in the side then he'll play; if not, he won't."