By Martin Gough

When cricket historians look back on the career of Andrew Flintoff they may well view The Oval Test of 2003 as the making of a new legend.

Flintoff has added maturity to his natural batting talent

Even before Ian Terence Botham retired in 1992, England have been searching for a player who could be selected on the basis of either his batting or his bowling.

The roar that greeted Flintoff as he walked down the steps to bat in the first innings - with England apparently set for a draw and defeat in the series - has rarely been heard since Botham's day.

The star of the 1980s was simply 'Beefy': the star of the new millennium is Freddie, and like his cartoon namesake in the Flintstones he has obliged with some caveman-like blows.

During this summer's five Tests against South Africa he was England's second highest run scorer, with an average of 52.87, and their most hard-working bowler, sending down 180 overs at an average of a little more than three runs per over.

He capped it all with his unforgettable match-winning 95 in the final match, which earnt him the accolade of England's man of the series.

Since his debut against South Africa in 1998, Flintoff had been an unfulfilled talent for too long.

He has struggled with his weight and injuries and battled his natural batting instinct.

After a serious back injury in 2001, his bowling action had to be completely remodelled, and five years after taking his Test bow he still does not boast the statistics his billing merits.

When he was ruled out of the Ashes series through injury, Australia marvelled that the loss of a man with a batting average of 19.48 and a bowling mark of 47.15 could be so damaging.

BOTHAM v FLINTOFF Botham: 102 Tests, 5,200 runs, average 33.5, high 208, 14x100, 20x50, 383 wkts, ave 28.4, 27x5w, 4x10w 116 ODIs, 2,113 runs, average 23.2, high 79, 9x50, 145 wkts, ave 28.5 Flintoff: 26 Tests, 1066 runs, average 26.0, high142, 2x100, 5x50, 43 wkts, ave 49.9 62 ODIs, 1298 runs, average 27.0, high 84, 8x50, 59 wkts, ave 26.0.

But Flintoff has always given flashes of his great potential.

With the bat there was his 84 from 60 balls to down Pakistan in a one-day international in Karachi or his 114-ball maiden Test century against New Zealand in Christchurch.

His Test bowling best is 4-50 against India at Bangalore, a figure that disguises his value as one of the few members of the attack who can bowl in a miserly and constantly threatening fashion.

The high-point with the ball so far was arguably his three wickets against India in a cauldron-like Bombay.

Having clinched a victory which brought England back from 3-1 down to tie the one-day series, he ripped off his shirt, hulk-like, in celebration.

No part of The Oval was safe on Sunday, as he flogged 12 fours and four mighty sixes.

But the difference this year is his ability to pick his shots, rotate the strike with partners of lesser ability - Steve Harmison contributed three in a partnership of 99 - and perform for the team rather than just himself.

His two half-centuries in a losing effort at Headingley were more revealing. In the first he was last man out - as close as he has ever been to finishing.

There is likely to be more pressure after the end of this series, when Alec Stewart's retirement will rob him of the luxury of batting at seven.

ALL-ROUNDERS SINCE BOTHAM David Capel, 15 Tests, batting ave 15.5, bowling ave 50.6 Chris Lewis, 32 Tests, bat 23.0, bowl 37.5 Dermot Reeve, 3 Tests, bat 24.8, bowl 30.0 Mark Ealham, 8 Tests, bat 21.0, bowl 28.7 Craig White, 30 Tests, bat 24.4, bowl 37.6 Adam Hollioake, 4 Tests, bat 10.8, bowl 33.5 Ben Hollioake, 2 Tests, bat 11.0, bowl 49.7 Ronnie Irani, 3 Tests, bat 17.2, bowl 37. Gavin Hamilton, 1 Test, bat 0.0, no wkts

Flintoff's analysis of Sunday's innings was succinct: "Steve Harmison told me he would hang around; I just played a few shots and managed to get it over the boundary."

It brought back memories of the line in 2000, hitting back at those who questioned his weight as he gained a man-of-the-match award: "Not bad for a fat lad".

Like Botham before him, Flintoff is up front and uncomplicated, both in word and deed - an under-rated virtue for a fans' favourite.

He is far from matching Botham's feats with the ball.

The former Somerset man has by far and away the most five-wicket hauls ever by an England Test bowler (27) while Flintoff has not even gained five in an innings for Lancashire.

But it is the ability to come up with the spectacular performance when it matters that could mark him out, not as a Beefy for a new era but as Freddie Flintoff, new folk hero.