Flintoff is recovering from the fourth operation on his ankle

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff continued his recuperation with an eventful performance with bat and ball as Lancashire thrashed Sussex in Dubai.

Having hit a six and two fours before being stumped for 15, he then bowled at a lively pace and captured 2-9.

The 30-year-old, bowling in a match for the first time since his fourth ankle operation last autumn, took two wickets in four balls in his second over.

Flintoff bowled five overs in total as his team recorded a 109-run victory.

Flintoff batted at number five when Lancashire won the toss in the Pro Arabian Cricket Challenge, which was delayed 10 minutes after their bus broke down en route.

He got off the mark by striking a straight six with a free hit off Luke Wright, and then drove the next two balls down the ground for four.

CRICKET: DEBATE Can Flintoff get back to his best?

But 20-year-old left-arm spinner Tom Smith lured him out of his crease and he was smartly stumped by Sussex wicket-keeper Andrew Hodd.

Smith also dismissed Lancashire skipper Stuart Law and captured three wickets.

Flintoff, who last bowled in a competitive match in the ICC World Twenty20 Championship against India at Durban on 19 September, was brought into the attack in the ninth over of the Sussex reply.

The county champions were already in deep trouble at 18-2 in search of 247 and Flintoff soon added to their problems.

His rhythm is good, his confidence is good and it all looks fluid Mike Watkinson on Flintoff

He conceded six runs in his opening over but then produced a double wicket maiden.

Having had a confident appeal for lbw rejected, Flintoff dismissed Chris Nash next ball and then bowled Ben Brown with a full delivery.

After bowling three overs for seven runs he was taken off, before returning for a second spell later in the innings with Sussex 117-8, although he was unable to add to his tally.

Skipper Chris Adams was the only Sussex batsman to get amongst the runs, scoring 49 before he was the penultimate wicket to fall, bowled by Sajid Mahmood.

Lancashire coach Mike Watkinson was happy with the progress of his talisman Flintoff.

"I suppose he's bowling at 70% at the moment - he's not supposed to be anything like 100% - but his rhythm is good, his confidence is good and it all looks fluid," he said.

"This is his first pre-season for a while. Everything has been full match intensity all the time in previous comebacks.

"The thing that helps here is that he's not building up to anything in particular - there's no deadline.

"We're just looking to play him as an all-rounder in our first County Championship match this season and then let's build on that."