Ashes series will restore faded image of cricket – England Cricket Coach Andy Flower
England cricket coach Andy Flower feels next month’s Ashes series between England and Australia can help regain some of cricket's lost credibility after a scandal-tarnished summer.
Spot-fixing allegations during Pakistan's recent tour of England tainted the image of the game globally. The three players allegedly involved in the conspiracy (Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif) were
suspended by the International Cricket Council earlier last month. The trio denies the allegations and has filed separate appeals against the suspensions.
The spot-fixing saga has led to doubts being raised regarding a series of other fixtures and has continued to impinge on the credibility of the sport internationally.
Flower, however, believes that the Ashes can revive the prestige of the game when the latest episode of the rival teams’ famous contention gets underway with the first Test at the Gabba on the 25th of
November.
Flower said that the latter half of the English summer was undoubtedly quite disappointing for the game, but the recently concluded Test series between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 was a tremendous five-day series, although
it had only two matches.
"With the inevitable scrutiny on an Ashes series, it should be a great spectacle for people,” said the English coach. "We all have a responsibility to the game to make sure its image is strong and healthy."
During its tour of Australia next month, Andrew Strauss’s men will be endeavouring to win the Ashes series in Australia for the first time in more than two decades. Flower said that his side would have to be at
its best in order to beat the Australians on Australian soil.
Flower was hopeful his side would strip away the scary perceived improbability of beating the Aussies on their home grounds and encouraged his men to take the upcoming Ashes series as a career highlight.
"I don't think there's anything to be afraid of in Australia," he said. "It's actually a tour that should be welcomed; it should be one of the highlights of people's cricketing careers, to go on an Ashes tour of
Australia.”
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