The English superstar claimed the honours over Phillip Hughes in their opening Ashes battle in an intriguing post-lunch contest in Cardiff.

The youngster had raced to 28 before England’s lead act in the 2005 series was thrown the ball after lunch and the big Lancashire lad immediately set about letting Hughes know that he was in for a torrid time.

He dished out a barrage of short balls to Hughes in his first over – four in all – and directed a few words at him.

Flintoff has been a shadow of the player he once was in the past two years, only managing eight Tests during that time because of injury.

But he was spoiling for a fight and almost claimed Simon Katich’s wicket on 10, just unable to hold onto a low return catch.

He directed his anger over that into an assault on Hughes by continuing to try to square him up.

Flintoff blunted one of Australia’s main left-handed weapons in Adam Gilchrist by bowling around the wicket four years ago.

This time around he went the other way, coming over the wicket to cramp up Hughes with his unorthodox open stance.

Just the third ball after making the switch, he squeezed Hughes for space and had him inside-edging the ball behind with gloveman Matt Prior taking a fine diving catch to his right.

Flintoff stood to the side of the pitch to soak up the applause of the crowd and his teammates after his early victory.

In reply to England’s 435, Australia were 1-87 midway through day two with Katich (28no) and Ricky Ponting (15no) at the crease.

Graeme Swann had earlier tormented Australia’s inexperienced Ashes attack as they added 99 runs in 16.5 overs to take the total to 435.

Swann (47no), who has four first class centuries to his name, guaranteed England marched beyond 400 in cool conditions courtesy of his entertaining 40-ball knock.

The right-hander started throwing his bat from the outset, plundering 11 runs off three balls from Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle (2-121) also copped some treatment before Nathan Hauritz (3-95) was introduced.

That only increased the scoring rate even more with 16 runs off the spinner’s first over.

But more than anything it was the sight of regular No.10 James Anderson (26) reverse sweeping on a pitch taking vicious turn that demonstrated England’s disregard for Hauritz’s bowing.

“All that shows me is I retired at the right time,” former Australian Test batsman Damien Martyn said on SBS TV.

“There’s no (Shane) Warne and (Glenn) McGrath to come on and bowl the tail out. It was getting embarrassing.

“When these guys start playing reverse sweeps, we’re in trouble, our bowling.”

Anderson eventually holed out to Hauritz but by that time the damage had been done with 68 runs scored in 53 balls in a telling ninth wicket stand.

© AAP 2012

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