Flintoff returns as Surrey shine

Andrew Flintoff claims the wicket of Surrey batsman Scott Newman © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff claimed a wicket on his return to competitive cricket as he builds towards a Test match return.

Flintoff, 30, has pinpointed a Lord’s recall against New Zealand next month and captain Michael Vaughan welcomed the prospect.

He struck early in the first of his three spells for the day at the Brit Oval but Surrey piled up 242 for two on a slowish surface thanks to an unbeaten 102 by the prolific Mark Ramprakash and 80 not out from captain Mark Butcher.

In a season-opening match delayed by overnight rain, and in front of England’s chairman of selectors Geoff Miller, Flintoff’s initial burst of 5-3-9-1 included the dismissal of left-hander Scott Newman.

England all-rounder Flintoff, whose last appearance on the ground was the Ashes-clinching draw in 2005, was successful with his 20th delivery when Newman fetched a short ball from around the wicket to long leg.

That left Surrey 56 for two in the 19th over in an extended afternoon session and they should have been more than two down at tea.

But Ramprakash, who scored more than 2,000 Division One runs last summer at an average in excess of 100, was given a huge leg-up to his 98th first-class hundred.

Lancashire should have bagged their third wicket in a two-over sequence but Ramprakash was dropped on nought by wicketkeeper Luke Sutton from a regulation edge off pace bowler Oliver Newby.

Former international batsman Ramprakash also survived on 24, shortly before the interval, when he drove left-arm spinner Gary Keedy to mid-off and slipped, which allowed the sprawling Flintoff time to steady himself, shy and miss - a hit would have left him yards short.

Flintoff’s first ball of his comeback, the 13th over of the innings, from the pavilion end, was cut for four by Jon Batty but he was his economical self thereafter and bowled at a decent pace in a first workout in four-day cricket for eight months.

Mark Ramprakash punishes Lancashire's Gary Keedy

Flintoff, who underwent a fourth operation on his left ankle last autumn, has not played in the championship since the innings thrashing of Yorkshire in the Roses match last August.

Butcher also enjoyed some good fortune early in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 186 when an edge off Glen Chapple fell short of the slip cordon.

Pace bowler Oliver Newby made the breakthrough, after Surrey won the toss, when a yorker pinned Batty on the boot.

Wet patches on the outfield prevented any play in the morning session and an early lunch was taken prior to a 1.10pm start which restricted the first day’s allocation to 80 overs.

Bad light also curtailed the end of the opening day’s action but in between former England men Ramprakash and Butcher unfurled some sparkling strokes.

Despite a sluggish start, Ramprakash got to his half-century ahead of his partner when he spanked an off-drive back past Sajid Mahmood.

Left-hander Butcher greeted Flintoff’s third spell in emphatic manner, piercing a gap on the off-side with an extra-cover drive for four.

This was a marked increase in workload for Flintoff, who was impressive in short spells on Lancashire’s pre-season trip to the United Arab Emirates.

Having conceded 11 runs in four overs before tea, he was recalled to the attack by captain Stuart Law with Ramprakash in the 90s.

But he barely got a chance to test him before Ramprakash had danced to three figures by slashing and pulling Newby, operating from the Vauxhall end, for fours in the same over.

Flintoff bowled just three more balls before a bouncer encouraged umpires George Sharp and Peter Hartley to offer the batsmen a decision on the light.

Ramprakash has now hit three hundreds on the trot in the Championship against Lancashire, having struck twin tons in the final-round encounter of last season when the visitors, requiring 489 for victory and the Division One title, lost by just 24 runs.