Flintoff - fine all round performance Photo CricInfo

It promised to be such a good day for Surrey. They started chipping away at the Lancashire batting line-up at The Oval in the undisputed feature match in this round of matches, only to come an awful cropper after lunch. That was when Andrew Flintoff expended all the pent up energy that had accrued during his period of rest and recuperation and put the Surrey attack to the sword.

His hundred came from just 75 balls and he went on until he was last out for 137, from 106 balls with 20 fours and three sixes, as he became one of Alec Stewart's five victims. By then, Lancashire's total stood at 320. But Flintoff is an all-rounder and he still had to bowl. After Glen Chapple had picked up a useful trio in Mark Butcher, Mark Ramprakash and Graham Thorpe, and Ian Ward had been run out for 48, Flintoff took two wickets, including that of Stewart second ball, Kyle Hogg grabbed another and Surrey were reeling at 106 for seven at the close – still 214 behind.

Andrew Caddick was another England man to show that he is back to his best after his winter endeavours. He took five for 72 as reigning champions Yorkshire were bundled out for 213 by Somerset at Taunton. Michael Lumb was top scorer with 66 and Chris Silverwood added some respectability to the total with an undefeated 44 at a run a ball. Silverwood then bowled Marcus Trescothick second ball and accounted for Jamie Cox and Peter Bowler as Somerset collapsed to 75 for six. But Ian Blackwell was joined by Keith Dutch and this pair had added 111 by the close when Blackwell was on 104 and Dutch 30. Somerset ended just 27 runs behind.

It was slow going at Grace Road where Leicestershire grafted to 292 for four by the close of play against Warwickshire. Iain Sutcliffe scored a patient 71, and Michael Bevan was still there at stumps on 99 with the prospect of a nervous night. The total was boosted by 44 extras, including 28 no balls, which will not please Warwickshire coach Bob Woolmer who might well have given his bowlers the benefit of his considerable experience when they reached the pavilion.

Hampshire's Robin Smith was fighting something of a lone battle against the Kent attack until he was joined by Shaun Udal. The pair then put on 109 for the eighth wicket before Smith was finally out for 104. Udal went on to 88 as Hampshire reached 303 for nine at the close. There were four wickets for Kent pace bowler Martin Saggers.

In Division Two, Northamptonshire's bowlers struggled against the Derbyshire batsmen, and Michael Di Venuto in particular. The Australian was eventually out for a fine 230 from 254 balls decorated with 32 boundaries. Andrew Gait offered staunch support, contributing 53 to a second wicket partnership worth 204, and Dominic Cork joined the fun with a rapid 60. At the close, the total stood at 487 for seven, with Derbyshire going at 4.68 runs an over throughout the day.

Essex were put in to bat at Trent Bridge and promptly bundled out for a mere 130 by Nottinghamshire's bowlers. Those doing the damage were Andrew Harris with four wickets and Greg Smith and Nadeem Malik with three apiece. Nottinghamshire openers Darren Bicknell and Jason Gallian proved that there was nothing untoward in the pitch, putting on 52 for the first wicket, with Gallian going on to 52 himself. But then the Essex attack started to fight back a little to leave the home side 152 for five at the close.

An innings of 74 by Jonathan Hughes, along with 53 from Michael Powell, spared Glamorgan's blushes at New Road as Worcestershire's Andy Bichel ripped through the top order to finish with four wickets while Kabir Ali took five of his own. Hughes shared a century partnership with Robert Croft for the seventh wicket, leaving Croft to go on to 59 before Glamorgan were bowled out for 286. At the close, the Worcestershire openers had taken 29 off that total.

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