In the days before jellybeans were weapons of mental destruction, batsmen unhinged bowlers by dispatching bad balls with nonchalance and keeping good ones at bay. For 45 glorious minutes, as he unfurled a quartet of immaculate on-driven fours in reaching 34 from 36 balls, it seemed that Andrew Flintoff would do just that.

And having delighted another superb Liverpool crowd, however briefly, in the morning, he amazed them, 18 overs from the close, when he came on for his first competitive bowl since May 12. His rehabilitation permitted only 24 balls, but they had enough pace and lift to leave Michael Yardy with a bruise when he was struck hard on the chest.

Flintoff’s first championship innings in almost nine weeks, since a third operation on his troublesome left ankle, ended when, trying to whip Rana Naved-ul-Hasan’s inswing through mid-wicket, he fell leg-before. Mark Chilton had gone early, losing his off stump to Jason Lewry, and it was left to Stuart Law to supply the full riposte in an innings of 95 that was worth 150 on a less interesting pitch. Glen Chapple and Muttiah Muralitharan then reprised another old favourite with a 50-run, last-wicket stand that drove Sussex to despair.

Flintoff, looking svelte, seems set to rejoin England for the series of seven one-day internationals against India that start on August 21. David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, confirmed that intent and, after play, Mike Watkinson, the Lancashire cricket manager, said: “Freddie’s feeling fine. He came through with flying colours.”

Law contributed only 14 to the run-a-ball stand of 57 with Flintoff that began a recovery from 70 for three. But he guided two more partnerships either side of lunch to carry Lancashire to 229 for five and a deficit of only 45 runs. Steven Croft, dropped twice off Mushtaq Ahmed, made 25 and Luke Sutton reached a supportive 18. At no stage, however, in a magnificent match fought with the intensity of a Test but little of the rancour, has a team sustained their dominance.

In 30 minutes, Mushtaq had Sutton with his googly and Dominic Cork with his leg break before Lewry removed Law and Sajid Mahmood. Law stood disbelieving after steering a ball of tennis-ball bounce to third man.

Still the fluctuations were not over as Muralitharan reached a Lancashire best of 28, while Chapple moved to an unbeaten 30 before helping Cork to undo both openers in the first 20 balls when Sussex batted again. It had the feeling of a decisive juncture, but, yet again, the initiative switched. Murray Goodwin went to an undefeated 68 and Yardy, despite his bruise, battled to an admirable, unbeaten fifty.

An unbeaten 97 from John Crawley and a 47-ball fifty from Michael Lumb guided Hampshire to victory over Nottinghamshire at the Rose Bowl last night and to the top of the first division table, despite Graeme Swann’s three for 22. Crawley, who was almost run out before he had faced a ball, hit ten fours as Hampshire won by six wickets with five balls to spare.