Flintoff celebrates England return in crucial win

9:53am Tuesday 15th July 2008

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Andrew Flintoff sealed his return to the England squad by helping Lancashire to a six-wicket County Championship win over Hampshire at the Rose Bowl yesterday.

Flintoff walloped 39 not out off just 23 balls, including three sixes and three fours, to put Lancashire within touching distance of top spot in LV Division One.

The Red Rose county completed their second win on the bounce, claiming 19 points, 20 minutes before lunch on yesterday's final day.

Lou Vincent top scored with 41, while Stuart Law also added 36 to Flintoff's entertaining effort.

He might have played his last Lancashire game for a while, but Freddie is convinced that Lancashire have the capabilities to win their first four-day title since 1934.

After a slow start to the season, Flintoff and company have come to life with wins against Sussex and Hampshire.

Flintoff said: "We are on a bit of a roll. It's nice to be up there going into the second half of the season.

"As a team we are improving, it's nice to win games, we have beaten two good sides. I think you have seen the way that we have played, we are playing as a unit. That is coming through."

Flintoff played exactly the same way he did in the win at Hove, where he scored 62. He smashed his three sixes off Dmitri Mascarenhas, Rory Kleinveldt and Greg Lamb either straight or over mid-wicket, while he also hit three sweet fours.