ANDY Flintoff hit a typical hit or miss half century before losing his wicket for 52 as Lancashire made a desperate bid to avoid heading for a humiliating defeat in the Roses clash at Old Trafford this afternoon.

Warren Hegg continued the fight with a battling unbeaten 53 by tea but Lancs were still struggling at 206-7 - miles away from beating the follow-on target.

Skipper John Crawley was out for one as Lancs made a disastrous start in the chase for Yorkshire's formidable 467-9 declared.

Crawley was lbw to Chris Silverwood, but Lancs rallied temorarily thanks to Flintoff, who was still hoping to revive his Test career. However, wickets continued to fall and Lancs were 118 for five after just 24 overs.

Ashes failure Craig White earlier completed a career-best 186 after being pushed up the order to open with Matthew Wood after the first four sessions of the match were lost to rain.

He responded by totally dominating a lacklustre Lancashire attack in an opening stand of 309 with Wood (115).

This morning Gary Keedy took four wickets as the visitors collapsed from 406 for four to 430 for nine, but a rapid last-wicket partnership of 37 - with Chris Silverwood smashing three sixes in a 19-ball unbeaten 34 - kept the CricInfo County Championship Division One leaders in the driving seat with Lancs facing a pitch increasing in turn.