LONDON, April 30: England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff smashed a breathtaking 83 off 101 balls to mark his return to first-class cricket in style on Friday. The Lancashire star, playing a first-class match for the first time since undergoing an ankle operation in January, hammered his quick-fire 83 at New Road against Worcestshire after suffering a first innings duck.

Australian team-mate Stuart Law matched his score as Lancashire reached 377 in their second innings, setting Worcestershire 268 to win.

And at stumps on day three, the hosts were 58-2 with Graeme Hick on 36. Flintoff struck 10 boundaries and four sixes.

England Test contender Ian Bell hit a double century as Warwickshire took command of their clash with Middlesex. Bell reached 231 on the third day as the defending champions amassed a first-innings 430 in reply to Middlesex’s 298.

Resuming in the morning on 143, with England spin bowler Ashley Giles at the other end on 30, Bell carried on where he had left off while his batting partner doubled his score to reach 62. Alan Richardson took four wickets for 87 with the ball. In response, opener Andrew Strauss hit 37 before being caught by Jon Trott off the bowling of Alex Loudon. Middlesex finished the day on 137 for three in their second innings, just five runs ahead.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming scored a ton on his home debut for Nottinghamshire in their match with Sussex - as the home side built a massive first-innings total at Trent Bridge.

Close of play scores on Friday:

(Day three of four):

Division One:

At Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 250 (M.A. Wallace 96, D.L. Hemp 60; Mohammad Akram 4-67) and 173 (M.A. Wallace 55; J. Ormond 7-63); Surrey 248 (M.R. Ramprakash 107) and 122-4.

At Bristol: Kent 359 (R.W.T. Key 164, M.J. Walker 109; J. Lewis 5-57); Gloucestershire 208-7 (C.G. Taylor 66).

At Trent Bridge: Sussex 379 (R.S.C. Martin-Jenkins 66 not out, M.J. Prior 65, M.H. Yardy 54); Nottinghamshire 488-6 (J.E.R. Gallian 199, S.P. Fleming 111, D.J. Hussey 89).

At Edgbaston: Middlesex 298 (E.C. Joyce 92, S.B. Styris 53) and 137-3; Warwickshire 430 (I.R. Bell 231, A.F. Giles 62; A. Richardson 4-87).

Division Two:

At Derby: Northamptonshire 451-7 declared (M.L. Love 168, B.M. Shafayat 161; G. Welch 4-91); Derbyshire 241 (C.W.G. Bassano 76; J. Louw 6-71) and 119-0 (S.D. Stubbings 58 not out, M.J. Di Venuto 55 not out).

At Taunton: Somerset 190 and 128-5 (J.D. Francis 54 not out; A.R. Adams 4-31); Essex 427-8 declared (A.N. Cook 111, J.S. Foster 78 not out, R.S. Bopara 71, A.J. Tudor 57).

At New Road: Lancashire 196 (W.K. Hegg 69 not out) and 377 (A. Flintoff 83, S.G. Law 83, D.G. Cork 57; M.S. Mason 4-107); Worcestershire 306 (G.A. Hick 176; M. Muralitharan 5-69) and 58-2.—AFP