LONDON, Aug 8: Britain’s press hailed England’s nail-biting victory over Australia and even took the rare step of plastering it all over the front pages on Monday. “England yesterday hailed a new sporting superhero –- cricketer extraordinary Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff,” the Daily Mirror said.

The tabloid’s front page pictured Flintoff as musclebound cartoon film superhero Mr Incredible, wielding a cricket bat. Flintoff “sealed a place in the game’s history in a heart-stopping two-run win” at Edgbaston.

In its editorial, the Mirror said: “Cricket isn’t usually the sort of game that has you jumping around the living room. “It was yesterday, though.

Half of The Guardian’s front page featured a picture of England’s fielders hugging in celebration after beating the Aussies with the Ashes still up for grabs — a sight not seen since 1997.

The Times’ front page also featured England’s cricketers running around the pitch in jubilation. “Such sweet agony!” Christopher Martin-Jenkins wrote. “England had saved the series from anti-climax and virtually guaranteed further hardly bearable suspense before the destiny of the Ashes becomes certain.”

Meanwhile, England’s dramatic two-run victory over Australia in the second test was called into question by Australia’s media on Monday.

While they said the match probably produced the best finish in the history of Test cricket, several also chose to highlight television replays that suggested Kasprowicz should not have been given out.

“Enhanced television replays indicated Michael Kasprowicz’s right hand was not in contact with the bat when Steve Harmison’s final delivery brushed his glove on the way through to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

“Although nobody could justifiably criticise New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden for noticing the technicality amid the flurry of movement and cauldron of pressure that accompanied the final act, it did provide a suitably intriguing end to a memorable game.”—Agencies