Flintoff's return is small comfort for Lancashire

Leicestershire 83-3 v Lancashire

To a smattering of applause, Lancashire began their first-class season at their headquarters yesterday. What's more, Andrew Flintoff bowled again, there was a no-ball for overstepping by Glen Chapple as early as the second over, and, this being Manchester, the rain returned soon after lunch, groundsman Peter Marron's Ever-Readies leaping into well-practised action.

There are Lancashire members, especially those who support Manchester City, who will have found little humour in the occasion. With two championship matches washed out entirely, their highly-priced overseas professional Muttiah Muralitharan has only three more fixtures before being reclaimed by Sri Lanka. It was upon Murali's phenomenal strike rate that Lancashire were basing their hopes of the title. David Lloyd has resigned his membership, Graham Lloyd is in the second team and worst of all, Fergie looks like staying over the road.

In addition Lancashire's one-day record must be their worst since the Gillette Cup was inaugurated. After the home defeat by Durham, there were reports of a "fierce bust-up in the dressing room" and a "biting exchange of views". Things have settled a little since a victory at Northampton that reduced fears that the championship team might follow the one-day side into the Second Division, to hoots of derision from across the Pennines.

Leicestershire too, champions of 1996 and 1998, have been feeling the chill draught of relegation. In a programme of only 16 matches every fixture is vital and every loss of time to the weather a minor crisis. Ray Illingworth maintained that south-east counties always had a 30-point advantage due to drier weather; something that didn't matter too much in a 28-match schedule.

Leicestershire's Vince Wells happily batted first on a good surface and for five overs, with the ball coming through quickly and evenly, it looked a good decision. Trevor Ward, aiming to turn Peter Martin, then had his off stump flattened and when, in the next over, first slip stuck out his right hand to take a stinging catch off Iain Sutcliffe's outside edge, an already shaky order was rocking. Leicestershire's best cricket then came from David Marsh. Murali appeared as early as the 12th over and the Australian took up the challenge, advancing from the crease to drive and cut three boundaries. At 47 for 2 a revival was under way when Marsh took a swing at a shortish ball from Chapple and gave square leg an easy catch.

Flintoff conceded eight runs in three overs, bowled fairly gingerly, his first excursion since 6 May, and the afternoon was an interesting prospect until the rain returned, in buckets