Hampshire 327 & 130 Lancashire 295 & 165-4: Flintoff rediscovers batting touch to hurry Lancashire home in front

( GETTY)

A good day all round for Andrew Flintoff: a trademark, and timely, bullish innings followed by his England recall. Flintoff hit the winning runs as Lancashire breezed to their third win of the season here yesterday, defeating Hampshire by six wickets.

Flintoff furthered his search for fitness and form with a typically blistering attack on the Hampshire bowling. When he struck Greg Lamb's off-spin for the winning boundary at the start of the 37th over, the England all-rounder had scored three sixes and three fours and faced only 23 balls in racing to 39 not out.

Flintoff, who was recalled to the squad for this week's second Test at Headingley yesterday evening, came in with Lancashire still requiring 75 to complete their demolition of the home side. The 30-year-old, who got off the mark with a sketchy shot in the air over midwicket, and his captain, Stuart Law, put on 73 for the fourth wicket in only eight overs to snuff out Hampshire hopes of a collapse. Law was out to a catch by Michael Brown at midwicket to give the South African newcomer Rory Kleinveldt his first English wicket, but that only served to delay the inevitable for the home side.

"When I came in we needed about 75," Flintoff said. "I could have ground it out or attacked and I chose to attack. That is a philosophy which has stood me in good stead. It was nice to get a few runs again and it was never easy on a slow wicket. My bowling is fine and my injuries are no different now from any other Lancashire player except a little stiffness."

Chasing a total of 163 for victory, Lancashire began the final day well placed at 34 without loss. But the opening batsman Paul Horton went with the score 61 to a smart low catch by Michael Lumb at first slip. And five runs later Dimitri Mascarenhas took his second wicket of the morning, and his eighth of the match, when Lou Vincent was snapped up at point by Lamb.

Lancashire's third wicket fell at 88 when François du Plessis was leg before without offering a shot in James Tomlinson's first over and that brought Flintoff to the crease to join his captain. Flintoff's first six sailed over long on off Mascarenhas, and he followed that with successive fours off Tomlinson. Kleinveldt was driven for a straight six into the pavilion soon afterwards and Flintoff's final big hit took a delivery from Lamb on to the terracing over midwicket.