Flintoff inspires England win

Flintoff's all-round excellence won the match for England

Tour match, Hamilton: Northern Districts v England

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Andrew Flintoff shone with both bat and ball as England recovered from a batting collapse to beat Northern Districts by five wickets in Hamilton on Sunday.

The all-rounder took three cheap wickets, as the home side slumped to 160 all out, and followed that up with a belligerent knock to guide England home with 16 overs to spare.

Flintoff shared in a crucial unbeaten sixth wicket stand of 67 with Owais Shah to steer England away from trouble at 96-5.

Flintoff struck nine fours and a six to hammer an undefeated 45 from just 25 deliveries.

Shah hit a measured 29 from 61 balls, including a six and four fours, as he calmly weathered the storm of England's collapse.

But England's top-order batsmen gave cause for concern with only captain Nasser Hussain (29) getting into the 20s out of the top four.

Shah formed crucial partnership with Flintoff

Michael Vaughan fell in the second over as Nick Knight (17) and Craig White (15) added the only other innings' in double figures.

For the Districts, Joseph Yovich took 3-33 off six overs.

Northern Districts had dented England's preparations for the one-day series against New Zealand with a three-wicket victory on Friday.

England recalled Hussain, Flintoff, wicket-keeper James Foster and Ashley Giles and rested Marcus Trescothick, Matthew Hoggard, Jeremy Snape and Paul Collingwood.

After losing the toss England quickly snapped up the wicket of dangerman Simon Doull.

Opener Doull smashed 80 from 47 deliveries in Friday's match but this time he was removed for 11 off 11 balls.

Darren Gough forced a Doull leading edge to Graham Thorpe in the fifth over but not before he had dropped a skier from the Kiwi the previous over.

Scalpless

Gough ended up with 2-20 off 9.2 overs, while Flintoff bagged three wickets for 20 runs off nine overs.

There were two wickets apiece for Giles and White but Andy Caddick was scalpless, going for 48 runs off 10 overs.

After Doull went, James Marshall and Michael Parlane put on 37 for Northern Districts before Marshall was out for 18, caught Giles off Flintoff.

New Zealand international Scott Styris, dropped for the first two games of the one-day series, was out soon after for one before Parlane's knock ended on 25.

Matthew Hart (2) and Hamish Marshall (6) offered little resistance as Districts slumped to 71-6.

But Grant Bradburn, who went on to make 46 not out, steadied the ship.

Bradburn shared 44 with Robbie Hart before the captain was bowled by Michael Vaughan for 22.

Yovich added 13, while Daryl Tuffey, recalled by the national side went cheaply, as did Ian Butler.

The five-match one-day series between England and New Zealand gets under way in Christchurch on Wednesday.

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England: Nasser Hussain (captain), Nick Knight, Michael Vaughan, Graham Thorpe, Owais Shah, Craig White, Andrew Flintoff, James Foster, Ashley Giles, Andy Caddick, Darren Gough.

Northern Districts: Robbie Hart (captain), Simon Doull, Michael Parlane, James Marshall, Matthew Hart, Hamish Marshall, Grant Bradburn, Joseph Yovich, Daryl Tuffey, Scott Styris, Ian Butler.