Flintoff Builds Up Speed But Sussex Pick Up the Pace

Andrew Flintoff had more encouraging news for England last night but was in no mood to celebrate. He bowled the longest and fastest spell for Lancashire since his latest ankle operation in May but then floundered as haplessly as anyone with the bat as the 2006 champions Sussex charged back to the top of the table.

He could easily have been out three times in his 19-ball innings before trying to pull the third ball after tea from Mushtaq Ahmed, miscuing hopelessly and lobbing the simplest catch to silly point. It would be unfair to single him out in a collective failure that leaves Lancashire in the bottom half and out of realistic title contention. But since his only first-class county appearance last season coincided with the defeat by Kent at Canterbury which scuppered hopes of that elusive first championship since 1934, Flintoff must be starting to worry that he is becoming a jinx.

Mushtaq ended Lancashire's second innings with four for 71 from 21 overs after being introduced unusually early in the fourth over by Chris Adams, whose astute captaincy was enhanced by a stunning one-handed slip catch to claim the key wicket of Stuart Law.

The leg-spinner was also too good for Luke Sutton, Steven Croft and Muttiah Muralitharan, although the crucial early wickets were claimed by the unsung seamers Jason Lewry and Robin Martin-Jenkins before Mushtaq and Rana Naved took over after tea.

Lancashire had looked the more likely winners at 65 for one late in the afternoon session, but Martin-Jenkins then induced Brad Hodge's second loose slash of the match and in his next over removed Mal Loye with a perfect yorker.

The day had started so well for Lancashire as Mike Yardy and Murray Goodwin, who had put on 125 for Sussex's third wicket on Wednesday, were dismissed within four overs, Yardy gloving Dominic Cork's first ball down the leg side and Glen Chapple having Goodwin taken by Flintoff at first slip.

Adams and Carl Hopkinson then put on 76 runs that proved so valuable in the final reckoning, with 53 coming after Loye had dropped Adams in the deep off the spin of Muralitharan. But Sussex lost their last six wickets for 63 after Adams repeated his top-edged sweep and was caught by Sajid Mahmood, who roughed up Hopkinson and claimed the wickets of Martin-Jenkins and Andrew Hodd to emulate Flintoff in proving his fitness following a recent operation.

Flintoff had hit Hopkinson with a nasty bouncer and also had Adams hopping around, with the majority of the 25 runs he conceded in his four-over burst coming off the edge. But that will have provided him with little solace.

Sussex will be in far better heart on Twenty20 finals day against Kent tomorrow, when Flintoff will be joined by James Anderson in the Lancashire team that plays Gloucestershire in the last four.