2: Australia 1977 and South Africa 1998

Botham's second match was against Australia at Headingley where England continued their dominance and Botham continued his fine form with the ball if not with the bat. He took the second of his 27 five wicket hauls as Australia followed on and lost by an innings and 85 runs. However, Botham had a match to forget with the bat as he registered his first duck, whilst batting at number 8. He was injured in the Australian second innings, after bowling 17 unsuccessful overs.

The scoreboard can be viewed by clicking on the link below:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/engine/match/63193.html

This match will be best remembered for Boycott's 100th first class century in front of his home crowd. Wisden's match report can be accessed below:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/engine/match/63193.html

Flintoff's second match was also at Leeds against the South Africans and he also registered his first duck (and his first pair). He only bowled 12 ineffective overs in the game, but England won the match by 23 runs, completing an incredible comeback to win the series 2-1.

The scorecard can be accessed below:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/engine/match/63808.html

This was a match for Flintoff to forget but for every England fan to remember as England won their first five match series in nearly 12 years.

See below for the Wisden report:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153343.html

This match will also be remembered for a host of controversial decisions and the South African manager Ali Bacher later referred to this match in Cronje's match fixing trial, suggesting that Pakistani umpire Javed Akhtar was guilty of making corrupt decisions. Whilst there is no doubt that the South Africans genuinely felt cheated, this reflected the closeness of the match and the fact that overall South Africa had played the better cricket in a series they ultimately lost. Bad decisions were made, but they favoured neither side.

1: Australia 1977 and South Africa 1998, Their Test Debuts

Botham's first match was against the Australians at Trent Bridge, which started on 28 July 1977, coincidentially the same year Flintoff was born. England won this match by 7 wickets and Botham burst onto the world stage with the first of his 27 five wicket hauls in the Australian first innings. At one point he took 4 for 13 off 34 deliveries, to give England the ascendancy on the first day. This match is perhaps best remembered for local boy Derek Randall's selfless sacrifice of his own wicket to allow the well-set Boycott to continue his match winning innings.

The full scorecard for Botham's first match can be accessed by clicking on the link below:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/engine/match/63192.html

The match report can be accessed below:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152108.html

Flintoff's debut was also at Nottingham on 23 July 1998. England won the game by 8 wickets, a game best remembered for the duel between Donald and Atherton in England's second innings. Unlike Botham, Flintoff made an inauspicious start to his test career. He took only one wicket (Kallis) and scored only 17 runs in his single innings, although Wisden described it as "a cameo of power and impetuousness" and he had recently made the headlines for bludgening 34 off one over, portents of things to come.

The full scorecard for Flintoff's first match can be accessed by clicking on the link below:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/engine/match/63807.html

Wisden's match report can be accessed by clicking on the link below:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153342.html