Flintoff cuts gap on Warne in wickets market

Andrew Flintoff's efforts at Old Trafford have moved him to within 4 wickets of Shane Warne's tally so far © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff's outstanding effort in the second innings at Old Trafford moved him to the top of the wicket-taking standings for England and narrowed the gap between himself and Shane Warne.

Warne, with 20 wickets, is now just four ahead of England's hero and the Australian is an understandable favourite, though his odds have drifted from 1/7 (1.14) before the third Test to 4/11 (1.36). However Flintoff, who now has 16 victims in the series, is still a big price at 11/1 (12.00), particularly as all it would take is an injury or illness to Warne for everything to be changed.

Glenn McGrath's superb second-innings effort lifted him to 14 wickets and Pigeon, as he's affectionately called by his team-mates, is 9/2 (5.50) to come through and take the honours, as he has done on two of the past three Ashes tours. Brett Lee, another to make an excellent effort after two days in hospital before the third Test, has 15 wickets and is still 7/1 (8.00).

Steve Harmison, who has 13 wickets, is a 12/1 (13.00) outsider while Simon Jones, one better off than Harmison with 14, is a big-looking 28/1 (29.00) - though it's asking an awful lot for him to make up seven wickets on a bowler of Warne's quality in just two Tests.

Just a reminder - only once in the past six Ashes series (in Australia in 2002/3) has an English bowler even finished as the joint wicket-taker. On that occasion, Andy Caddick took 20 wickets to share top honours with Jason Gillespie, but there were mitigating circumstances. McGrath played just four Tests and took 19 wickets, while Warne took 14 wickets in just three Tests.