Andrew Flintoff has pledged to do everything possible to coax his aching body through a farewell Ashes series after his five-wicket haul helped to break England’s 75-year Australia hoodoo at Lord’s.

By securing a 115-run victory in the second npower Test yesterday, England will take a 1-0 lead into the third match at Edgbaston starting on Thursday week. Flintoff is ready to defy problems with his right knee to keep the momentum going.

There were shades of his inspirational 14-over burst at the Brit Oval in 2005 as he claimed three of the last five Australia wickets in a ten-over spell before victory arrived at 12.45pm.

Flintoff, the man of the match, knows that his fitness will remain under scrutiny, but insisted: “I said I had four Tests to go, now there are three. It is not my intention to bow out after Lord’s. I want to be in that Ashes-winning team at the Oval.

Times Archive, 1934: England beat Australia at Lord's

England won by an innings and 38 runs on the third day of the match, with Verity taking a total of 15 wickets

• Topic: The 1981 Ashes

• Topic: The Bodyline Series

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“I will do anything to get on the field and finish the series. I feel some discomfort, but most of my career has been in discomfort. There are a few aches but I feel I have done better than ‘get through’ this game.”

Great concern remains, though, over Kevin Pietersen, who is due to have another injection in his troublesome Achilles today and may face an operation. Andrew Strauss, the captain, said that Pietersen — definitely ruled out of Hampshire’s Friends Provident Trophy final against Sussex on Saturday — will be reassessed along with Flintoff at the end of the week.

“The important thing is that we have to be certain the XI we choose for the Edgbaston Test will get through the game,” Strauss said. “It is hard to know exactly where we will be at the end of the week.”

Graham Onions, the seam bowler, is another doubt because of an elbow problem. His absence may create a place for Stephen Harmison, with England unlikely to use a second spin bowler if there is a doubt over Flintoff.

Victory at Lord’s — where England had not beaten Australia since 1934 — showed that Strauss’s team can win without a significant contribution from Pietersen, but the bowling of Flintoff is another matter.

He removed Brad Haddin with his fourth ball of the day, and Strauss revealed: “At that point Fred told me he was staying on until the last wicket fell. It seemed a good plan to me.”

Flintoff admitted to feeling “quite sad” at retiring when he is starting to master the skills of bowling and being thrown the new ball. “I feel I am getting better,” he said.

Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, dismissed as “rubbish” the idea that Flintoff and Pietersen will miss the rest of the series.