Flintoff sends Sussex packing

Andy Flintoff claimed the man of the match award as Lancashire eased into the quarter-finals of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy yesterday. They reached their target of 152 against Sussex with more than 13 overs and seven wickets to spare in their rain-hit fourth-round match at Old Trafford and now take on Durham on 25 July in the last eight.

Flintoff reached his 50 off 76 balls with a six off Jason Lewry and added another six, off Chris Adams, before finishing the game with two more boundaries.

Vince Wells completed the definitive captain's innings at Trent Bridge by carrying his bat through Leicestershire's reply to book them a quarter-final against Worcestershire.

Needing just 52 runs to win from the final 20 overs of their rain-ravaged tie with their neighbours Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire made short work of the task following a shaky start. On a tricky wicket, Wells assumed the anchor role and remained at the end on 54 not out to collect his man of the match award for orchestrating the six-wicket win with 47 balls to spare.

The Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and batsman Aamir Sohail will line up for Somerset against Australia in the three-day match starting today.

A Somerset spokesperson said the pair had been recruited to ensure Australia were given a good match. Somerset's England pace bowler Andrew Caddick and batsman Marcus Trescothick have been rested before next week's second Test. Shoaib has been with a club side in Kent since June, after missing the end of Pakistan's England tour through illness. Aamir has been playing club cricket in Manchester.

Australia will be captained by Ricky Ponting for the first time, with Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath all sitting out the match at Taunton.

CHELTENHAM AND GLOUCESTER TROPHY Revised quarter-final draw: Tue 24 July: Worcestershire v Leicestershire. Wed 25 July: Lancashire v Durham; Kent v Somerset; Yorkshire v Warwickshire.