CLOSE: LANCASHIRE ARE 159-6 (SUTTON 28*, CHAPPLE 0*) AFTER 50.3 OVERS

After being dismissed by Stuart Clark and Shane Warne six times as England captain during a forgettable Ashes series, Andrew Flintoff's first championship innings against Hampshire for seven years was never going to be easy.

Clark dismissed Flintoff in three successive innings during the last two Tests - twice in Melbourne and once in Sydney - as Australia completed their historic whitewash during the winter.

But Flintoff looked in good touch ahead of next week's first Test against the West Indies before Warne beat him in the flight in his third and final over of another rain-affected day at the Rose Bowl.

Sadly, the weather always seems to do its best to spoil Flintoff's rare trips to West End.

When he was last at the Rose Bowl for an ICC Champions Trophy match in September 2004 , he struck 104 from 91 balls as England beat Sri Lanka - with the help of a reserve day and the Duckworth/Lewis scoring system.

This time the rain has tarnished Flintoff's first championship appearance at the Rose Bowl.

Hampshire fans have had precious few opportunities to watch Flintoff against their county since he made his first-class debut as a fresh-faced 17-year-old at Portsmouth in 1995 (his only other county appearance at the Rose Bowl was a one-day match six years ago).

But the brave souls who turned up with their waterproofs today were at least treated to the sight of Flintoff going head to head with Clark and Warne for the first time since England's fifth and final defeat of the Ashes series four months ago.

Bowling with the wind from the Pavilion End, Clark had to be content with the wicket of Stuart Law, who was trapped lbw with an off cutter, but he enjoyed a fascinating tussle with Flintoff, who admitted: "Clark was tricky on flat wickets in the winter and with a bit of a damp patch on the wicket he was even harder here today."

Flintoff, however, looked relatively assured as chairman of selectors David Graveney looked on.

Unbeaten on 15 overnight, he survived an appeal for caught behind from James Bruce on 37 and another for lbw from the ever-improving seamer on 42, before reaching his third championship fifty (80 balls, five fours) against Hampshire with three runs through mid-wicket against Dimitri Mascarenhas.

But he suffered more Ashes deja vu when Shane Warne introduced himself to the attack to bowl the 46th over of the innings - the 28th of the day.

Warne did not take long to claim Flintoff's wicket.

His Ashes adversary missed an attempted heave over mid-wicket, and was trapped lbw for 61 (102 balls, six fours) before play brought an end to the day shortly afterwards, with Lancashire 159-6 from 50.3 overs.

Luke Sutton, with whom Flintoff shared a sixth-wicket stand of 66, finished unbeaten on 28 but should have been Clark's fourth victim before he had troubled the scorers.

The Lancashire wicketkeeper attempted to work the ball through mid-wicket but it ballooned off a leading edge to the Australian's left - and a straightforward chance was put down by Clark as he followed through.

No play was possible after 4.05pm but, with chairman Rod Bransgrove present, the Rose Bowl floodlights were turned on to beat the fading light - only for another downpour to lead to the abandonment at 5.30pm.

With only the final day remaining and more rain forecast, there is little Hampshire can be expected to do other than accrue as many bonus points as possible between tomorrow's showers.

Hampshire bowling: Clark 17.3-5-42-3, Bruce 18-4-63-2, Mascarenhas 4-0-18-0, Tremlett 8-3-10-0, Warne 3-0-11-1