Flintoff comes through workout

Andrew Flintoff puts in the effort on the opening day against Sussex at Hove

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Andrew Flintoff finished wicketless from 15 overs on his LV County Championship comeback for Lancashire but showed he could be back to fitness just in time for selection for England’s Test series against South Africa.

Flintoff, who has been tuning up with some recent Twenty20 Cup cameos for his county after six weeks out with a side strain, conceded 43 runs in 15 overs on the opening day of the Division One match against champions Sussex at Hove.

He saw his team-mates benefit instead from a raft of ill-judged shots by Sussex batsmen, including top scorer Robin Martin-Jenkins, who was bowled by South African Francois Du Plessis attempting to pull after compiling a smart 70.

Former England seamer Sajid Mahmood bowled with pace and considerable aggression to return figures of 5-76, cleaning up the tail after making early inroads into the Sussex top order.

All-rounder Martin-Jenkins, however, was still the hero of his side’s total of 253, having been 100 for five at lunch.

Lancashire also started badly in reply, Jason Lewry removing Paul Horton and Mal Loye with successive deliveries before Martin-Jenkins had Du Plessis caught behind and Lou Vincent brilliantly pouched by Carl Hopkinson for 38 at slip.

Gary Keedy came in as nightwatchman to save Flintoff from facing the flak as the visitors ended the day on 67 for four off 27 overs.

Flintoff had been Lancashire’s first change from the uphill Sea End after two wickets had fallen.

He conceded just nine runs from his first seven-over spell - eight of them in boundaries - while opener Chris Nash was run out before skipper Chris Adams and Murray Goodwin gave away their wickets cheaply.

Robin Martin-Jenkins is bowled by Francois Du Plessis for 70 as Sussex are hustled out for 253

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Matt Prior, having hit Mahmood for three successive fours, fell for a rapid 30 and Michael Yardy made 25 before falling victim to a fine catch by Stuart Law, who also snapped up Prior at slip.

That was where Flintoff spent much of his day but did not take a catch until moving, in between his overs, to short extra cover where, after lunch, Hopkinson presented him with a simple catch off Keedy.

The main aim for Flintoff, whose last Test was in January 2007 against Australia in Sydney, was to get through an extended period of bowling.

Hopkinson and Martin-Jenkins helped Sussex recover from 98 for five, adding 88 for the sixth wicket.

Martin-Jenkins drove Flintoff for two crisp boundaries after Flintoff was brought back into the attack, with the England all-rounder extracting some lift from a largely benign pitch to strike Hopkinson a nasty blow on the right shoulder.

Martin-Jenkins brought up his fifty with a square-driven four off Flintoff but after Hopkinson departed for 39 and Sussex’s innings went into decline again.

Ollie Rayner - replacing the injured Luke Wright - fell for 16, hooking to Loye at deep square-leg to give Mahmood his third wicket before Corey Collymore made it four with a thick edge to wicketkeeper Luke Sutton off the fourth ball after tea.

Mushtaq Ahmed, who had twice clattered Flintoff over third man for four, perished attempting to do the same to Mahmood.