Jonathan Trott hit a century on debut as England set Australia 546 to win the fifth Ashes Test. The tourists closed day three on 80-0.
Flintoff makes breezy 22 before perishing to North in final Test innings
Fifth npower Test Match
The Brit Oval - Day Three
England 332 (I R Bell 72, A J Strauss 55, P M Siddle 4-75) & 373-9 dec (I J L Trott 119, A J Strauss 75, G P Swann 63, M J North 4-98) v Australia 160 (S M Katich 50, S C J Broad 5-37, G P Swann 4-38) & 80-0
A century from debutant Jonathan Trott helped England turn the screw at The Oval as Australia were set 546 to win the crucial fifth Ashes Test.
The Warwickshire batsman became the 18th man to reach three figures in his maiden Test appearance for England, his efforts helping the hosts reach 373-9 before declaring in the evening.
Having seen their grip on the urn loosen with every English run during the day, Australia managed to reach the close of day three on 80 without loss.
However, with two days remaining and the pitch getting no easier, Ricky Ponting's side still need the small matter of another 466 to win - no team has ever made more than 418 in the history of Test cricket.
Timely Trott
After the bowling heroics of Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann on day two, it was the turn of Trott to take centre stage and ram home England's advantage.
His efforts overshadowed Andrew Flintoff's farewell Test innings, the all-rounder making a breezy 22 before perishing looking to put Marcus North's part-time off-spin into the crowd.
Trott kissed the badge on his helmet when he eventually reached his ton, just the second the home side have managed in the five-match series.
He had started out in the morning at the crease with skipper Andrew Strauss, who continued his fine form with the bat by making his second half-century of the match and the slowest ever of his Test career.
Resuming on 58-3 the duo carried on their fourth-wicket partnership almost through until lunch, their 118-run alliance frustrating the life out of Australia.
Eventually Strauss fell for 75 from 191 balls in the over before the interval, North - who finished with impressive figures of 4-98 from 30 overs - getting the left-hander caught by Michael Clarke at slip.
Matt Prior's failure to beat Simon Katich's direct hit led to Flintoff coming out to bat to a standing ovation from a capacity crowd.
Having shaken hands with Australia captain Ricky Ponting before he faced a delivery, the Lancastrian soon set about the bowling, hitting four of the 18 balls he faced to the fence.
Big hitting
His attempts to clear the boundary rope only resulted in a catch in the deep for Peter Siddle, while Broad - the heir apparent as England's next all-rounder, perished in similar fashion off North having made 29.
The swashbuckling strokeplay didn't end there, though, Swann coming out to make 63 from just 55 deliveries before Ben Hilfenhaus ended his fun.
James Anderson (15 not out) hung around to help Trott through to his hundred but when the South African-born right-hander drove Stuart Clark to backward point to fall for 119, Strauss decided the time was right to pull the plug.
The tourists managed to get through to the close without loss, Shane Watson, who had 32 to his name, and Katich (42no) surviving for 20 overs. They will need much, much more of the same if they are to avoid losing a second successive Ashes series on English soil.
