ANDREW FLINTOFF will play for Lancashire Lightning in this evening’s sell-out Twenty20 Cup match against the Leicestershire Foxes at Aigburth.

The England all-rounder will then continue his bid to return to full cricket fitness against Derbyshire on Thursday and two victories for the Red Rose side would put them in with an excellent chance of a home quarter-final in late July.

The Old Trafford side currently has a 100% record in this short-form cricket and a 4,500-strong crowd will be hoping to see Glen Chapple’s men maintain their impressive run of form.

The game also gives Lancashire the chance to respond strongly after Saturday’s dismal 10-wicket defeat to Hampshire.

“This week we go into some Twenty20 cricket and from a personal point of view that can free you up a little and give you a bit of confidence,” said Flintoff.

“After two Championship defeats we’ve got an ideal chance to rectify things and hopefully we can gain some momentum before we take on a very good Notts team in a four-day game in just over a week’s time.

“After Derby I’ll wait to hear from the ECB, Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss as to what they’ve got planned for me.”

Saturday’s cricket brought limited satisfaction for Flintoff, who is probably crucial to England’s chances of retaining the Ashes. On the plus side, his innings of 54 was his most assured since his latest return from injury.

However, a harsh decision by umpire Peter Willey deprived him of the opportunity to play the major innings i.e. a century, which would put him in the sort of form required for the series against Australia which begins on July 8.

“I was pretty well set but only half the job was done,” said Flintoff, after Saturday’s match. “I’ve been working hard with Peter Moores (Lancashire’s head coach) and probably for the first time in a long time things were coming pretty naturally.

“I’m seeing the ball nicely, moving my feet well and hitting the ball in the middle of the bat. I can’t ask for more.

“Today the batting felt natural again and the bat felt a part of me rather than a foreign body.

“I’ve been searching for form in my batting for a period of time now and it just seems that every time I get close to that I get injured.

“I’ve been working hard, I can’t do any more from a fitness point of view. From a cricket-fitness point of view I just need a bit more time.

“It’s still early days coming back from injury and I’d like to get as much cricket as possible before the first Test at Cardiff if I’m selected.”

Former Firwood Bootle left-arm spinner Stephen Parry has also been named in the 13-man Lancashire squad for this evening’s game at Aigburth which begins at 5.30pm.

LANCASHIRE squad: Chapple, Chilton, Croft, Cross, du Plessis, Flintoff, Hogg, Horton, Keedy, Laxman Loye, Mahmood, Parry.