England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was upstaged by Leicestershire duo Jim Allenby and Iain O’Brien as the Foxes inflicted Lancashire’s first defeat in the Twenty20 Cup this season.

Allenby hit 69 in 45 balls - including a steepling straight six off Flintoff - and O’Brien claimed five for 23 to help his side to a eight-run win at Liverpool.

Flintoff, who made a successful return from knee surgery in a county match on June 11, bowled four overs for 29 but did not take a wicket and made just five.

Defending a total of 146 for five the visitors began poorly with left-armer Harry Gurney’s first over costing 14 after his three balls were called wide and Steven Croft carved him behind square for two boundaries.

O’Brien, his replacement at the River End, was flicked for six over midwicket by Croft before the bowler removed Paul Horton with a mistimed pull.

That brought Flintoff to the crease but it was Croft who continued the aggression with a streaky four past wicketkeeper Paul Nixon and a short-arm pull to the midwicket boundary.

Flintoff got off the mark with a single to third man but his next scoring shot was a punch down the ground for four off O’Brien.

They were last runs the expectant sell-out were to see from him, however, as next ball he was surprised by a short delivery and with the rubber grip on his bat appearing to slip he ballooned a simple catch to Wayne White at square leg.

His innings had lasted just five balls with only two scoring shots and Francois Du Plessis followed him the same over after he edged a sharply-rising delivery behind.

It was turning into O’Brien’s day as in his next over Croft, having made 40 off 25 balls, pulled the bowler to White at deep square leg and he took a good diving catch.

Neither Mark Chilton nor VVS Laxman are really suited to Twenty20 and they failed to hit their way out of trouble but Lancashire still only required 38 off the last four overs.

However, O’Brien returned late on to take his fifth wicket and Lancashire’s hopes were ended when Chilton was out in the final over going for a second successive six.

Leicestershire had looked like setting a much bigger total after racing to 66 without loss in the seventh over having opted to bat.

Allenby, the Foxes’ top scorer in this year’s competition, reached his half-century with a six over midwicket off Stephen Parry in the 10th over.

However, he was receiving little support and that started to tell as after the loss of a couple of wickets the Foxes scored just eight runs between the 12th and 14th overs.

Allenby, who hit six fours and four sixes, finally went when he tried to sweep Parry and bottom-edged into Cross’ gloves.

His departure, plus Flintoff returning for two overs at the death which cost just six runs, slowed the rate considerably.

Having been 83 for one with Allenby in full flow at the halfway stage they added just 50 in the final nine overs.