Flintoff Snubs Donald's Advice With New Boots and a Hat-trick

Andrew Flintoff last night discounted the recent suggestion by England's new bowling consultant Allan Donald that he should modify his action to ease the pressure on his troublesome left ankle. "I'm 29 and it would be hard to try and change something now," said the Lancashire all-rounder after the most successful spell yet of his latest comeback - three wickets in eight balls that left him on a hat-trick and Yorkshire in deep trouble.

"I'm quite happy with the way I bowl," Flintoff explained. "Three years ago my foot was a bit more closed than it is now and I've got it to a point which I'm happy with. Everything I'm trying to do is have a stronger ankle and a stronger left leg which will stand up to the rigours of bowling."

He is more optimistic about changing his footwear than his action. "The bowling action I've got is pretty unique so we've been working to get some boots to work with it rather than fight it," he added. "If they can give me an extra three or four per cent I'm pleased with that."

After bowling spells of two, two and four overs against Sussex last week, a five-over stint yesterday morning already represented progress, even if it was solid rather than spectacular. But after lunch, coming down the hill from the Kirkstall Lane end, he looked formidable, particularly after Tim Bresnan had flashed a catch to gully, giving Flintoff a first first-class victim since his last Test as England captain in January.

Darren Gough, admittedly not the best barometer of a bowler's ability, could hardly lay a bat on him with the ball reverse swinging, encouraging Flintoff to extend his second spell to a seventh over in which he bowled the Yorkshire captain and pinned Ajmal Shahzad on the crease with his next ball. Final figures of three for 38 were his best in eight Roses matches, and his best in 15 first-class fixtures for Lancashire since 2001.

"I came on and got a couple of lower-order batters at the end," Flintoff said, stressing that the real damage had been done by Glen Chapple and Sajid Mahmood with the new ball, Dominic Cork having been omitted.

In the first over of the innings Chapple found Craig White's outside edge then nipped one back to Anthony McGrath, and when Sajid Mahmood opened with an outswinging full toss that hit the base of Younis Khan's off stump Yorkshire were one for three. They never really recovered, but the pitch did nothing to dispute Gough's decision to bat first. Lancashire, desperate for a win after a miserable week, are handsomely placed.