Tom Smith pushed his claims for a regular place in the Sussex side with an impressive spell of bowling in the opening match of the Pro Arabian Cricket Challenge in Dubai.

The left-arm spinner claimed three wickets -including the prized scalp of Andrew Flintoff - as Sussex bowled Lancashire out for 247 five balls short of their 50 over allocation at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Smith, 20, played just one first class match for the champions last season - against India - and did not bowl in his solitary appearance in the Twenty20 Cup but could become an important member of the squad if Mushtaq Ahmed is banned from county cricket.

Sussex are still no clearer whether the PCB will follow through with its threat to withdraw Mushtaq's No Objection Certificate' due to his involvement in the rebel Indian Cricket League.

The continuing uncertainty means Sussex have little time to find a replacement if the Pakistani leg-spinner is banned and may have to turn to young spinners Smith and Ollie Raynor to fill the void.

Smith returned figures of 3-29 from his ten overs, the highlight being when he tempted Flintoff down the pitch before beating him with turn and giving wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd a stumping.

Part-time spinner Chris Nash also impressed with four wickets and Robin Martin-Jenkins picked up the other three but Sussex's hopes of overhauling their target were undone in the first ten overs of their reply.

Carl Hopkinson had already gone for a duck and Luke Wright was run out for one when Flintoff came on for his first bowling spell for six-months.

He showed little sign of the ankle injury which has stopped him bowling since the ICC World Twenty20 Championship as he trapped Nash leg before and bowled Ben Brown in the space of four deliveries to reduce Sussex to 36-4. Skipper Chris Adams (49) top scored as Sussex were dismissed for 138.