Cricket: Stars Come Out at Hove But Law Puts Flintoff and Co in the Shade

For much of the day here spectators could take their eye off the play and entertain themselves by spotting passing stars. Andrew Flintoff trotted along the boundary with what appeared to be the strongest left ankle in the world. Ted Dexter, one of the few players who hit the ball as hard as Flintoff, and usually along the ground, made his first appearance at Hove since being named Sussex president.

In the Wag's Shack (appalling punctuation, this, in the home town of Lynne Truss) for wives and girlfriends, Matt Prior, English cricket's newest star, surveyed the scene and his own vividly colored surroundings beatifically.

Then, as this match finally took shape in the blustery chill of late afternoon, there was another fine cricketer to admire and this one was actually playing.

Stuart Law, 38, is already well known to Sussex supporters because his record for Lancashire against the county is extraordinary. In six summers playing for Essex he failed to score a single century against them. This is his sixth season with Lancashire and yesterday he made his sixth century against them even though, overall, his record for his second county is marginally less impressive.

Yesterday morning, for Lancashire against Sussex, he had scored 1,070 runs at an average of 118.88. It was as if he knew exactly what his target was because once he had reached 119 he edged Rana Naved and the wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd tumbled to his right to clutch the prize.

Sussex had won the toss and their decision to bowl was a dubious one. The pitch was slow and the ball swung only occasionally. Mushtaq Ahmed, their great get-out-of-jail card, was also just below his best when the seamers had had their say.

Lancashire made 330. Paul Horton was the first to go in the 12th over, when he made a flat-footed push at Rana and Hodd took the catch. Robin Martin-Jenkins, before he went off for a migraine, had Mark Chilton, cutting, well taken at second slip by Chris Adams.

Brad Hodge edged Jason Lewry to Richard Montgomerie at first slip and the same fielder moved to short-leg to catch Steven Croft off a Mushtaq googly. When Tom Smith edged Luke Wright to the keeper Lancashire were 187 for five. But then Law, driving and cutting with great placement, put on 87 in 22 overs with Luke Sutton to change the fine balance of the day.