Flintoff Bruised With Bat But Blistering With Ball

Andrew Flintoff might have seen the funny side of such high-octane cricket following his escape from a speeding charge on a technicality - particularly after taking four wickets including a spell of three for two in 25 balls - if only he had not already suffered another golden duck.

Nick Freeman, the solicitor known as Mr Loophole who had added Flintoff to his list of satisfied celebrity clients at Liverpool magistrates court 24 hours earlier, was not around to query the raised finger of the umpire Trevor Jesty yesterday, and the all-rounder now has a single innings to find some sort of batting form before England name their team for next week's first Test against New Zealand.

Flintoff was the fifth of 20 wickets to fall in 94 overs on a fast, bouncy opening-day pitch. He hung his bat out tamely at a short ball during an inspired post-lunch burst from Durham's under-rated seamer Mark Davies and was snaffled by a jubilant Paul Collingwood at first slip, giving him a second consecutive first-baller in championship cricket following an equal indignity against Somerset two weeks earlier.

However, with Davies rattling through Lancashire's batting line-up to claim a career-best seven for 33, there was ample time for Flintoff to show the bowling form - and, crucially, fitness - that may still persuade England to select him for Lord's with only 68 runs in six innings .

Opening from the same Statham End that had been chosen by Steve Harmison, he was a hostile handful and could easily have taken more than the single wicket of Kyle Coetzer, who could only lob a ball that was heading for his throat to Mal Loye running in from fourth slip.

Flintoff returned for a second spell in the evening sunshine and when he fired out the Harmison brothers in consecutive overs then yorked Mitch Claydon, the former Yorkshire seamer whose 40 was both a career best and the highest score of the match. There was some discomfort in Flintoff's left foot, but only from a blister. "He was scary to face," said Davies.

There was no respite for the Durham batsmen with James Anderson also bowling beautifully to take four for 18 in his 11-over opening spell to hit back in what is thought to be a battle with Matthew Hoggard for a place alongside Flintoff, Ryan Sidebottom and maybe Stuart Broad.

Both Durham's left-handed openers, Michael Di Venuto and Mark Stoneman, perished playing no shot at balls that nipped back into them, Phil Mustard edged one angled across him, and Collingwood slapped a short ball to cover, where Mark Chilton took an athletic catch.