Brad Hodge smashed a quite brilliant unbeaten 130 as Lancashire got their Friends Provident Trophy campaign back on track, with a first win of the season against Northants.

The Red Rose county secured a rain affected 20-run victory by the Duckworth-Lewis method, after three rain breaks forced the abandonment of the game after 21 overs of the visitors reply.

Hodge was backed up by returning hero Andrew Flintoff, who hit a morale boosting 66 to ease fears about his batting after an unsuccessful winter in India, Australia and the West Indies with England.

"I was a little nervous out there because in the first game you always want to perform well," said Hodge. "After the early wicket, I thought it was important to lay a solid foundation, because I knew that scoring would be a lot more enjoyable at the end than the start."

"It is always important to get off to a good start, and try and build my way into the season. I am glad I did that."

Flintoff's 66 came in 84 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes, and was part of an unbeaten third wicket stand of 137, with the Australian World Cup winner that put Red Rose county on course for a daunting total of 289-3.

Sajid Mahmood then took two wickets in two balls to put Lancashire on top after Rob White's 36 had given the visitors a fine start in pursuit of a rain reduced target of 244.

White had hit Mahmood's first five balls for 17 runs, but the England ace responded by yorking Stephen Peters (21) with the next ball.

He then had White caught at long leg by James Anderson with the first ball of his second over, as Anderson also chipped in with the wicket of Mark Nelson caught behind by Luke Sutton.

Duckworth-Lewis specifies that 20 overs of the second innings constitutes a game, and when the third bank of rain came at the end of the 21st over with Northants 100-3, it was Lancashire's game.

The unchanged 14-man squad left Old Trafford to travel straight up to Durham for today's game at Chester-le-Street.

Flintoff said: "It's been a great day from start to finish. It would have been nice if we could have won the game in the 50 overs, but it was certainly nice to spend some time in the middle and build an innings with Hodgey.

"I was just determined to get my down. I have worked hard on my batting all week, and I have spent a lot of time in the nets trying to get back to where I want to be."