http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Flower-c44362 blames lengthy layoff for Test series debacle - Cricket News Update
England coach Andy Flower on Tuesday lamented that his team’s lengthy layoff ahead of the Pakistan series was the reason behind http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013’s poor show in the three-match Test series against Pakistan.
Losing the third and final Test at Dubai on Monday by 71 runs, the Poms suffered their first ever Test series whitewash at the hands of Pakistan.
This was England’s first Test series since dethroning http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 as the World No. 1 Test side in August last year, and the formidable English line-up was miserably exposed by a relatively inexperienced Pakistan side.
While English players were resting at home, Misbah and his Men in Green were busy tearing apart world cup finalists Sri Lanka and then Bengali Tigers in subcontinent conditions. Flower reckoned it as the major difference between the two sides during the
recently concluded three-match Test series. However, he has vowed to adjust the preparations to ensure a strong comeback in the one-day leg of the series.
"…while we were sitting at home resting for two months…Pakistan were playing against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747…hardening themselves up for this series, and we weren't," said Flower during a media encounter on Tuesday.
"That, I would imagine, is a factor in this result - and we will adjust our preparation accordingly, and take those lessons into Sri Lanka series and the India tour," the English coach added further.
England’s record in Asian conditions is not impressive. The English skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964 has challenged his team to do well in these conditions if they are to be considered the best side in the world. However, they succumbed to the turning tracks and were
easily defeated by Pakistan in the Test series.
"We've been soundly beaten, and it's been a very disappointing result for us. We came out here with high hopes of carrying on our great form in Test cricket, and we haven't been good enough to do that," said a dejected Flower, who became the England coach
in 2009 and has presided over back to back Ashes victories.
The Zimbabwean said that after a morale sapping Test series whitewash, they have to do a lot of work to do in the lead up to the one-day series against Pakistan.
The first One Day International of the four-match series between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 and England starts in Dubai on February 13, 2012.
Tags: