Flower Named England Cricket Coach
Zimbawean Takes Charge Full-Time Following Moores' Dispute
Apr 19, 2009
The English Cricket Board has attempted to bring an end to the malaise that has afflicted the England side over the past six months, with the appointment of the popular and respected former Zimbabwean wicketkeeper-batsman Andy Flower as the new National Team Director.
Flower will take over ahead of a busy summer for English cricket, with a Test series against the West Indies in May serving as an appetiser for the World Twenty20 Championship in June, and of course, the Ashes series, starting in July. He was appointed after serving as assistant coach in the lead-up to the resignation of ex-coach Peter Moores, after Moores' high-profile falling-out with former captain Kevin Pietersen; here, we take a look at the qualities the man known as the 'White Knight' will bring to the role.
A History Of Leading By Example
Flower's history as a player and captain is well-documented - he captained Zimbabwe for two separate periods, and was burdened throughout most of his career with the additional responsibility of being undoubtedly his country's greatest ever cricketer. However, his immense talent as a batsman, wicketkeeper and captain was supported by his extremely high standards - Flower expected the best from himself and his team-mates, and this drove him to the highest of cricketing heights.
Flower's relative success as captain of Zimbabwe - he led them to their first ever Test match victory against Pakistan in 1994-95, coupled with his rise to the top of the world rankings as a batsman, made him a role model for his country's young players. Tatenda Taibu, a former Zimbabwe captain himself, spoke to Cricinfo recently about Flower's influence on him - "I became the youngest Test captain in the history of the game and I owe part of that to him".
A Great Cricketing Brain
In his interview with Cricinfo, Taibu also spoke of Flower's ability to read the game and manage his players. "On the field he was without doubt the first to read the situation for the rest to follow suit" said Taibu, a former wicketkeeper-batsman himself. These skills will be invaluable in a coaching role, particularly in Test cricket - reading a match situation is just as important as being able to react to it.
Flower's planning and man-management skills will also be tested by the introduction of several new faces into the England side in recent months - Graeme Swann may have supplanted Monty Panesar as first-choice spinner, while Amjad Khan is pushing for more Test cricket following his debut in the West Indies, and numerous other players are nipping at the heels of the first-choice XI. Flower's cricketing expertise will be challenged to the limit every time he selects his team.
A Strong Relationship With His Captain
Andrew Strauss' promotion to the England captaincy came at a time when England needed stability more than anything else. Following the Pietersen vs Moores meltdown, Strauss' appointment represented a calm head at the helm; Flower's excellent relationship with Strauss was one of the key reasons that England managed to maintain a semblance of order following the debacle.
Following England's subsequent capitulation to 51 all out against the West Indies in Jamaica, the media inquiry into the disastrous performance required a united front from both captain and coach, and the Flower-Strauss axis provided such a front. England bounced back, and despite what their series defeat in the West Indies may indicate, there were many positives to be gained from the trip.
A Determination And Drive To Succeed
Flower's history as a player was marked by his willingness to never back down from a challenge. His image will be forever sustained as a hero in his home country, after he and Henry Olonga wore black armbands at the 2003 World Cup in a stand against Robert Mugabe. He also drove his country's team as a captain from the bottom of Test cricket to heights that it had never reached before - Flower's stomach for a fight is unquestioned.
It is fitting, then, that his first summer as England coach should include an Ashes series - there can be no greater challenge than winning back the urn won back in such thrilling style in 2005, and relinquished once again after a 5-0 whitewash in 2006-07. With Australia's side not the same as it once was, Flower has a fantastic opportunity to idolise himself in the eyes of English fans - only time will tell, however, whether he can leave as great a legacy as a coach as he undoubtedly left as a player.
