England keen to restore pride

Andrew Flintoff © Getty Images

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Andrew Flintoff will lead England out at the SCG for the final Test with every member of the side desperate to restore some pride and avoid becoming the first team in 76 years to suffer an Ashes whitewash.

Lancashire all-rounder Flintoff captains the tourists in the final Test knowing defeat will ensure his side's place in cricket history as the team who arrived in Australia with huge expectations, and left following a 5-0 hammering.

Their recent form, particularly during the innings and 99-run fourth Test defeat inside three days in Melbourne, does not suggest England can bounce back and halt an Australian side chasing their 12th successive Test triumph.

But the embarrassment which would be associated with a 5-0 scoreline - the first one in the Ashes since 1920-21 - is enough to motivate Flintoff and the rest of the squad into an overdue performance.

"It's been a hard few weeks," said Flintoff. "To be 4-0 down in the series has been tough and there's been some tough cricket.

"Australia have played well, we've played all right in patches but they've dominated the series and now we've got one game left and we'll be concentrating on that - we're going to be taking this Test in isolation.

"I don't want to leave this country having been beaten 5-0, I don't want to be the captain that loses 5-0 and the team don't want to be the team that gets beaten 5-0 so there is still a lot to play for.

"We sat around today (Monday) and we spoke about it and the side are up for this last Test. We feel we have a point to prove, each and every one of us, and as a team and players we are keen to do that over the five days."

Andrew Flintoff and Duncan Fletcher (right) © Getty Images

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Like most England captains on an Ashes tour, Flintoff has had to accept his fair share of criticism and ridicule from the Australian media but he remained in bullish mood.

"There are two ways you can go; you can sit around and wallow in self-pity or get on with it and try and come back stronger and that's what we've got to do now," added Flintoff.

"There's no point moping around or licking our wounds. We've got one more Test match to play and it's still a big Test. As players we want to perform and show we can beat Australia and we've got five days to do that.

"This is the last game and we can focus all our energies on one game of cricket. It is our last chance to take something away and we've got to give everything we've got for five days of cricket, mentally and physically, to try and win this game.

"A side that keeps winning gets tested, but we are getting tested in different areas now and we want to show that we can come back from everything that's been thrown at us both on and off the field.

"There is no point in us thinking about what everyone else thinks and what everyone else is writing. We've got an opportunity now to show people we can play and we can beat Australia."

With England 4-0 down in the Ashes series coach Duncan Fletcher has naturally been the subject of criticism but Flintoff backed the Zimbabwean.

"This squad have supported me, they've supported each other and they've supported the coach as well and in this last game it would be nice to take something away for the team and for the coach who has come under a bit of flak," he added.

"It would be nice to win a game because we're all in the same boat and we're working towards the same thing which is to win games of cricket."