Cricket Update: England Coach, Flower, Praises Team Effort
England‘s team coach, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Flower-c44362, has praised the outstanding effort of his team in the opening test match against Pakistan at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
The hosts won the test by a huge margin of 354 runs on the fourth day of the match, after the brittle Pakistani batting line-up crumbled like a pack of cards, chasing 435 runs for a win in the fourth innings, folding up for 80 runs in the second innings.
The former Zimbabwean captain and legendary wicket-keeper batsman, Flower felt that two outstanding knocks in each innings by Eoin Morgan and Matt Prior changed the course of the match, and brought a big win for his team.
Flower said, "They were outstanding knocks, both of them,” adding to that he stated, "Obviously you get ebb and flow in every game but I thought it was a fascinating game for people to watch, and those types of pitches and the swinging ball make it a fascinating battle between bat and ball.”
Flower added that the pitches like the one at the Trent Bridge provide a great balance between ball and bat and make for great viewing. He felt that in recent years many placid tracks all over the world have undermined test cricket, hence it was important that sporting tracks like the Trent Bridge, which are a test for the batsmen who are pitted against formidable opponents.
I enjoyed watching it myself and the spectators must have loved it," observed Flower.
Flower felt that the performance of Irish born Eoin Morgan, who scored his maiden test hundred in only his third test, was the difference in the first innings and helped in turning the table over a mercurial http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 team.
"I thought Morgan's composure, initially when the ball was moving around and then capitalising on the spin in the afternoon, was almost a typically perfect Test innings," he said.
Flower also spoke about the performance by Matt Prior; the wicket-keeper batsman in the second innings was the difference between a target of 300 and 435 runs that was eventually set by the hosts.
"I thought the tempo with which he played his shots and innings was ideal. Prior's knock was superb as well, in fact I think that is the best I have ever seen him bat."
Flower added that Prior, is a determined cricketer who was deeply hurt after being axed from the national one-day team, and wants to ensure that he performs to the best of his abilities and regain his place for the longest format of the game.
"I am sure it did, and perhaps there is a lesson there: you should not need spurring on to perform at your peak level for England. He is determined and that is part of the reason why he has been successful at international cricket.”
The English coach also showered praise on man of the match James Anderson, who took his first ten wicket haul in the match claiming 11 wickets in the match, including five in the first and six in the second innings.
"It was a superb performance," said Flower. "We know what Jimmy can do when the ball swings, and that was a very good thing for his confidence”.
Flower felt that Anderson is the best in the world in seaming, overcast conditions when the ball jags around, as he has great control over the new ball and has a booming out swinger, which is extremely difficult to handle for the batsmen form sub-continent.
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