England humble Australia after 75 years at Lord’s

Hosts England rewrote history as they beat Australia by 115 runs to break a 75-year-old jinx in the second Ashes Test concluded at Lord’s today. In his final act at the home of cricket, Andrew Flintoff broke England's 75-year Lord's curse with his first five-wicket haul since 2005.

It was, unquestionably, a performance that will enhance his already mythical status within English cricket, but more pertinently for now, delivered England to a 1-0 series lead heading into Edgbaston.

Victory was sealed 17 minutes before lunch today when Graeme Swann, another major contributor on Monday, pegged back Mitchell Johnson's middle stump with the Australian total at 406. The wicket prompted scenes of jubilation not witnessed at Lord's in decades, and a collective furrowing of brows in the Australian dressing rooms as the series momentum shifted sharply in the hosts' favour.

Flintoff, who bowled unchanged for ten overs from the Pavilion End to claim three of the five Australian wickets to fall on Monday, broke first from England's celebratory huddle to shake the hands of the vanquished Johnson and his batting partner, Ben Hilfenhaus. It was a scene that mirrored the final act of the corresponding Test four years ago, and envoked a spirit of cricket that had been bruised over the previous four days.

Chief scores:

England first innings 425 all out and second innings 311 for 6 dec (Prior 61, Collingwood 54) beat Australia first innings 215 all out and 406 all out (Clarke 136, Haddin 80, Johnson 63, Flintoff 5-92, Swann 4-87).