THE Flintoff phenomenon came to St Lawrence for the opening day of Kent’s championship clash with Lancashire where the nation’s press and county cricket lovers flocked to Canterbury to watch the England all-rounder continue his comeback from injury.

It represented only his sixth championship start in two years for Lancashire, but the red-top tabloid writers and the red rose supporters alike had to wait until late in the day for 'Freddie' to really capture their attention having had his thunder stolen by little-know Lancashire keeper Gareth Cross.

Electing to bat first on the hottest day of the summer to date, Lancashire skipper Mark Chilton must have imagined his side posting 400 in the day, but he had not counted on a determined Kent bowling display spearheaded by Amjad Khan and Tyron Henderson.

On a firm surface that offered little by way of seam assistance, Kent’s new-look, new-ball pairing inspired their side by taking seven wickets between them to dismiss the title-chasing visitors for 218 inside 58 overs.

But for Cross, who top-scored with a bright 72 from 56 balls, their demise might have been far swifter as Kent’s attack showed good control backed by some decent catching and fielding.

Khan broke through after 11 overs by plucking out Iain Sutcliffe’s off stump with an off-cutter then, three overs later, Mal Loye - in his first game back from injury - went to a catch at the wicket off Henderson having batted like a man who had not played for a month.

Martin Saggers, back in Kent’s team for a first championship match at St Lawrence since last September, received a warm ovation when he came on to replace Henderson at the Pavilion End just after mid-day.

The former England bowler was soon in on the act having Chilton caught by a tumbling Niall O’Brien after edging an out-swinger as Kent went into lunch well pleased with their morning’s work in restricting the visitors to 92-3.

Henderson, who bent his back to bowl with much more venom than at Hove last week where he carried a slight injury, troubled the entire Lancashire top-order and he removed Nathan Astle with the fourth ball after the break to a catch at second slip.

Expectation levels rose around the ground when Flintoff sidled in to bat at 2.02pm with his side struggling on 92 for four – but within 10 minutes he was back in the pavilion.

Having scored four from eight balls England’s man mountain rocked back to aim a fearsome back-foot force at a short ball from Henderson, but the South African’s additional bounce grazed the edge for O’Brien to take the catch and lead the celebrations.

Next ball, Henderson unleashed a bouncer that Glen Chapple could only fend to short-leg off the gloves to leave Henderson on a hat-trick after an amazing stint of four for one in 19 balls either side of lunch.

Cross, playing his first game of the season after Luke Sutton broke his thumb in the roses game, survived the hat-trick ball and decided attack was the best form of defence from there on in.

He clattered a maiden championship half-century from 33 balls while Stuart Law kept him company with a more orderly half-century from 75 balls.

Dropped on 12 when Min Patel downed a spiralling chance at long-leg, Cross continued to go for his shots, including an incredible cover-driven six off Dwayne Bravo and a impudent flick over the mid-wicket ropes against Saggers.

He and Law posted 82 in 21 overs before Khan’s return down the Nackington Road slope broke the partnership and the spine of Lancashire’s resolve.

Initially swinging away, the ball dipped back off the seam to brush the top of middle and off stumps and send Law packing for an excellent 53 after a relatively untroubled two-and-a-quarter hours stay.

Cross lasted just six more overs before Khan trapped him leg before, then Saggers had the last two caught at mid off to finish with a creditable three for 38 on his return.

Henderson took Kent-best figures of four for 29 on his home championship bow, but Khan deserved most credit for an aggressive stint of three for 73.

Patel and Stevens made up numbers while Bravo, who is still struggling to find an 'English length', conceded 50 from nine disappointing overs.

With 46 overs still to bat in the day, Kent looked set fair for a good reply until the introduction of Flintoff in the 10th over from the Nackington Road end.

Key shouldered arms at the first-ball loosener only to see it crash into off-stump via the cue-end of his bat – it was a Boy’s Own bowling return and what the Freddie watchers had come to see.

Two overs later Flintoff was punching the air again after trapping Martin van Jaarsveld leg before with a yorker full on the boot, then Fulton, having looked imperious in reaching 29, cut a Chapple long-hop only to see Flintoff leap and take a one-handed overhead catch, full-stretch at second slip.

Matt Walker and Darren Stevens settled the ship by adding 53 for the fourth wicket before Stevens unluckily edged a poor leg-side ball from Dominic Cork to wicketkeeper Cross to become the 14th and final victim of the day.

There were no alarms for Walker and Bravo thereafter and they send Kent into day two with an 88-run deficit and power to add with six wickets still in hand.

SCORECARD

Lancashire first innings

M J Chilton c O’Brien b Saggers 31
I J Sutcliffe b Khan 10
M B Loye c O’Brien b Henderson 6
S G Law b Khan 53
N J Astle c van Jaarsveld b Henderson 7
A Flintoff c O’Brien b Henderson 4
G Chapple c Fulton b Henderson 0
G D Cross lbw b Khan 72
D G Cork c Walker b Saggers 10
S I Mahmood c Henderson b Saggers 3
G Keedy not out 2

Extras 20

Total 218 all out after 57.5 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-58, 2-29, 3-58, 4-92, 5-102, 6-102, 7-184, 8-205, 9-216.

Bowling: Khan 17-2-73-3, Henderson 14-5-29-4, Bravo 9-0-50-0, Saggers 12.5-4-38-3, Stevens 2-0-8-0, Patel 3-1-7-0.

Kent first innings

D P Fulton c Flintoff b Chapple 29
R W T Key b Flintoff 0
M van Jaarsveld lbw b Flintoff 6
M J Walker not out 32
D I Stevens c Cross b Cork 25
D Bravo not out 9

Extras 13

Total 130 for four after 46 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-28, 2-42, 3-56, 4-109,

Bowling: Cork 11-3-29-1, Chapple 9-3-29-1, Flintoff 10-3-16-2, Mahmood 5-0-18-0, Keedy 11-1-27-0.

Bonus points: Kent 3pts Lancashire 2pts.

* Mark Pennell's day two report will appear here at the close of play this evening.