Sydney, January 2:

Glenn McGrath took two wickets in five balls to give Australia’s attack some impetus in his farewell Test before Andrew Flintoff revived the England innings with an unbeaten 42 on day one of the fifth Ashes match.

At stumps, England was 234-4 after Flintoff won the toss and elected to bat. The England captain struck five boundaries and a six after coming to the crease when England slipped from 166-2 to 167-4. He shared an unbroken 67-run fifth-wicket stand with Paul Collingwood (unbeaten 25) when bad light stopped play seven overs before the scheduled close on a rain-shortened first day.

With only the tailenders to come, the pressure was on Flintoff to produce his biggest innings of the series if England had any hope of avoiding a 5-0 series whitewash by the Australians. He and Collingwood defied the Australian bowling for almost one and half hours, giving England slight honours of what will be the final Test match for two of cricket’s greatest bowlers and 104-Test veteran opener Justin Langer. Shane Warne and McGrath are quitting after the Ashes.

Just when Ian Bell (71) and Kevin Pietersen (41) appeared to be getting on top of the Australian attack in a 108-run third-wicket stand, McGrath struck twice to remove both batsmen. McGrath finished with 2-57, while Brett Lee and Clark took one apiece.

SCOREBOARD:

ENGLAND — 1st Innings

A Strauss c Gilchrist b Lee 29

A Cook c Gilchrist b Clark 20

I Bell b McGrath 71

K Pietersen c Hussey b McGrath 41

P Collingwood not out 25

A Flintoff not out 42

Extras: 6 (1lb,3w,2nb)

Total: 234/4

FoW: 1-45, 2-58, 3-166, 4-167

Australia bowling: McGrath 21-4-57-2, Lee 15-3-50-1, Clark 19-3-54-1, Warne 19-1-59-0, Symonds 6-2-13-0