The new Botham v the old Flintoff

If Andrew Flintoff is to emerge properly from the shadow of Ian Botham then he will have to remain on Planet Edgbaston, or somewhere in its proximity, for the best part of the next five years.

But he can claim to have achieved something that Botham never managed: a match-winning performance against the best side in the world. In Botham's time it was West Indies, of course, who ruled the world and he played in a winning England side only once, in 1991 at The Oval, when he hit the winning runs in his final appearance against them.

Botham's record against West Indies is in stark contrast to his overall Test record, which was a tour de force. Against the Windies, Beefy averaged only 21 with the bat (as opposed to 32 overall) and 35 with the ball (28 overall).

The tables below show how Botham's peers - the other great allrounders of the 1980s - performed well against West Indies, particularly with the ball. Flintoff's peers fare less well, bearing in mind the world is not currently blessed with such a great crop. Jacques Kallis's batting average drops a staggering 24 points against Australia.

Flintoff has only played two Tests against Australia, the supreme side of his generation, so it is far too early to know how he will match up to Botham in that respect. He may also be fortunate that he is a part of an England side that is on the rise while Australia's star regardless of the result of the series - seems to be waning.

Botham's career coincided directly with West Indies' 15-year domination. Nasser Hussain suggested recently that Botham got sucked into fighting fire with fire against West Indies, which was a high-risk strategy that failed. "Maybe deep down," Hussain said, "Beefy thinks he shouldn't have done that."

As a batsman, Botham took on the four quick bowlers, swashbuckling as only he could. As a bowler, he often got embroiled in personal battles with his mate Viv Richards.

Flintoff seems to channel his Botham-like aggression more constructively, more regularly. He is not by nature as impulsive a personality as Botham but it might have something to do with the team environment under Michael Vaughan. It might also have something do with the way Flintoff struggled to prove himself at Test level - he has never enjoyed the sort of leeway Botham had, after he exploded onto the international stage in 1977.

Flintoff bowls faster than Botham and has the potential to bat better as well, although Botham was a better player of spin. Botham's supremacy as a fast-medium swing bowler in the late 1970s, however, will remain unchallenged.

But as of today, in the light of Edgbaston, Flintoff has to be the best allround cricketer in the world. Who knows what he may achieve, fitness permitting?