Flintoff is hoping to prove his fitness ahead of the first Test on 10 July

Andrew Flintoff made a successful bowling return as Lancashire secured a place in the quarter-finals with a 23-run victory over Nottinghamshire.

With the bat he hit a six, but was out for nine off seven balls, one of three wickets for the evergreen Mark Ealham.

Lancashire needed another fine knock from Kiwi opener Lou Vincent, who hit nine fours and a six in his 56 from 36 balls, to take them up to 155-8.

Flintoff opened the bowling and struck with his fifth delivery, taking 1-27.

It was Flintoff's first spell of bowling in match conditions since he injured his side against Durham on 9 May.

England will hope he can play a full part in Lancashire's forthcoming Championship match at Sussex and could then consider him for the first Test with South Africa at Lord's on 10 July.

At Old Trafford it was Vincent who caught the eye again, following his unbeaten 102 in Monday's victory over Derbyshire.

The 29-year-old got the home side off to a fine start, as 54 came off the first five overs.

But wickets began to fall regularly and after Ealham had Francois Du Plessis superbly caught by a diving Adam Voges at mid-wicket it was 95-3.

Flintoff thumped Samit Patel for six over extra cover but was caught off the top edge at backward point attempting a drive in the 12th over.

Vincent departed in the 14th over, trapped lbw playing a sweep, as Lancs slipped from 95-2 to 115-6 in the space of five overs.

After Flintoff's early strike, Chris Cairns hit two straight sixes in a fluent 21 but was run out backing up and Chris Read fell in the next over to make it 87-4.

Flintoff also added a catch on the boundary to gift spinner Simon Marshall the wicket of Bilal Shafayat.