CAPTAIN Andrew Flintoff is determined to avoid an Ashes whitewash after England crashed to their heaviest defeat yet in the fourth Test in Melbourne.

Australia thrashed the tourists by an innings and 99 runs inside three days after being bowled out for 161 in their second innings and now face the prospect of losing an Ashes series 5-0 for the first time since 1921.

"It's been a tough Test match for us. Australia played some fantastic cricket and outplayed us over these three days," Flintoff said on Sky Sports 1.

"We've got to regroup. We've got one Test match left and it's still a big Test match for us.

"We don't want to go home having been beaten 5-0. We want to win a game in Australia so that's what we'll be all out to do over these next three days."

Flintoff was asked if as captain he felt powerless in the face of an Australia side that has outclassed England on the way to a 4-0 series lead.

éI donét feel powerless,é he replied. éWeéve got a talented bunch of lads but, at times, Australia just havenét let us play. Australia have been magnificent and have shown us how hard Test cricket can be.

éI think if you look at series in parts, we have had the better of sessions but we have not been able to apply pressure at the key times.é

Flintoff dismissed rumours of friction in the England dressing room and insisted the players will lift themselves for the final Test in Sydney.

He said: éThere are not too many cartwheels at the moment. Weéve been beaten in three days which is very disappointing but no-one has fallen out and Iém pleased with the way the lads have worked hard all tour.

Criticism

éWe donét want to go home having lost 5-0. We want to win a game in Australia. We are 4-0 down. There are still a lot of people who want us to do well and we have to put on a show for them in Sydney.é

Flintoff has come in for strong criticism over his decision to bat first at the MCG after winning the toss but refused to accept that in hindsight that had been a mistake.

éIt was not like the Gabba where you thought éweéll have a bat on thisé. It was a bit dark but we thought that to bat first was the way forward,é he said.

éAt 100-odd for two, we knew if we could get to 250 or 300 we were in the game but we lost quick wickets and to come back from 159 all out was always going to be hard.é

Flintoff has also been accused of being too conservative in his approach when Australia were five wickets down in their first innings.

He posted fielders on the boundary when Monty Panesar came into the attack against Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds when many felt he should have stayed on the attack.

éI donét know about conservatively,é said Flintoff. éHayden and Symonds are aggressive players. Symonds came out swinging and got away with a few. For a period of time we were trying to contain them. We were trying to build pressure by trying to contain them but we couldnét do it.é

Trailing by 260 runs on first innings, Englandés batsmen needed to show plenty of defiance but were instead bowled out for 161.

éIt was not for a lack of trying,é insisted Flintoff. éWe had to take the scoreboard out of the equation and just go out and bat and did deep. But Brett Lee and Stuart Clark made it very tough for us.é

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