Flintoff dilemma; FOURTH TEST: England delay decision on all-rounder until the last moment: CRICKET.

Byline: Richard Gibson

ENGLAND were set to make their decision on Andrew Flintoff's participation in the Fourth Test before play got under way today in the knowledge they can seal Ashes glory inside the coming days.

Lancashire's Flintoff bowled for 35 minutes in the nets yesterday to test out his troublesome right knee, which has become something of a pin cushion since he announced this series against Australia would be his final hurrah in Test cricket.

The reaction of the joint, iced intensively since the drawn third match concluded on Monday evening, will be crucial to his chances of playing.

But captain Andrew Strauss is ada-manhe will only give the green light if convinced the 31-year-old is fully fit. "When you're captain of the team you're motivated by what's right for the team," said Strauss.

"Obviously if Fred plays and has a detrimental effect on the team, it would be wrong for us to have made that decision on sentimental grounds and I think Fred would appreciate that himself.

"The last thing he wants to happen is to play and then not be able to fulfil a role in the game.

"He will be very honest with us, and sentimentality is pushed to the back of all our minds."

Having played such a dominant hand in the 2005 series victory over the Australians, Flintoff's bowling display at Lord's in particular has put the hosts just one win away from victory.

"We are not going to dwell on that at this stage because sometimes the closer you are to something the harder it is to achieve it," said Strauss.

"We will only achieve it by putting the Australian team under a lot of pressure."

If Flintoff does not make it, England will either bolster the batting with debutant Jonathan Trott or recall bowlers Steve Harmison or Ryan Sidebottom.

James Anderson and Graham Onions have sliced through the Australian top order when the ball has swung but the attack has been less penetrative when the sun has shone and the track has flattened out, which would encourage the return of Harmison.

CAPTION(S):

Andrew Flintoff.