London, Aug 4 - Captain Andrew Strauss said that England can win the Ashes series without their maverick all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.

Flintoff, who will retire after the series, has been on pain killers to ease the inflamation on his troublesome right knee.

Flintoff was clearly struggling during the third Test at Edgbaston and is now facing a race against time to prove his fitness before the fourth Test begins at Headingley Friday.

Asked whether England could win the series without Flintoff, Strauss said: 'Yes, I think we can - we've had to (go without Flintoff) plenty of times over the last two years, so it wouldn't be anything new to us.