ROUND one to Andrew Flintoff.

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 victory was thrown the ball following the break 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 of the 2005 series 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 off his drive.

He directed his anger into an assault on Hughes by continuing to try to square him up as Australia's opening stand passed 50.

Flintoff (1-15 off six overs) 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 with his arms out-stretched to soak up the applause of the crowd and his teammates.

But in reply to England's 435, Australia had recovered to 1-142 at tea on day two with Katich (53no) and Ricky Ponting (44no) unbeaten.

Ponting became the fourth batsman in the game's history to breach the 11,000 Test-run barrier during his innings by pulling Stuart Broad for a couple.

He joined India's Sachin Tendulkar (12,773), West Indian Brian Lara (11,953) and Australia's Allan Border (11,174).

Graeme Swann (47no) had earlier tormented Australia's inexperienced Ashes attack as England's tail added 99 runs in 16.5 overs in the morning session.

Swann has four first class centuries to his name and his entertaining 40-ball knock guaranteed England marched beyond 400 in cool conditions.

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 upped the scoring rate 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."