Jonathan Trott's sterling hundred on his Test debut overshadowed Andrew Flintoff's final Test innings as England moved into position to reclaim the Ashes at the Brit Oval.

While Flintoff could make only 22 in his last attempt at this level, Trott became the first England player since Graham Thorpe 16 years ago to reach three figures in his first Ashes Test.

The result, after Graeme Swann had piled in with a swashbuckling 63, was a second-innings 373 for nine - a lead of 545 - and England promptly declared following Trott's dismissal for 119.

Number seven Flintoff received a standing ovation on his way to the crease, and a handshake from Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

A breezy stand of 32 followed, and the 200 had just come up when Flintoff failed to clear long-on as he tried to hoist part-time off-spinner Marcus North out of the ground.

Stuart Broad then briefly played the attacking foil to anchor Trott. But it was Swann, reprising his shot-making from England's embarrassing innings defeat at Headingley, who really got stuck into Australia either side of the second new ball.

He hit nine fours from 55 balls to dominate an eighth-wicket stand of 90 in under an hour, before a mis-pull at Ben Hilfenhaus spiralled into the gloves of Brad Haddin. South Africa-born Trott's hundred came up soon afterwards, with a back-foot clip behind square off Hilfenhaus.

Australia's torment finally ended when Trott cut Stuart Clark to be caught low down in the gully. James Anderson finished unbeaten on 15.

The tourists need to make 546 to win the series, or bat for more than two days to somehow retain the Ashes.

The highest successful fourth-innings chase so far in Test history is West Indies' 418 for seven against Australia in Antigua in 2002/03.