Zimbabwe cricket

Flower brothers still not keen

James Jones

February 20, 2007

Grant (top) and Andy Flower: not tempted by a return to international cricket © Getty Images

Andy and Grant Flower are still not interested in returning to the Zimbabwe cricket team as long as the present administration remains. The Essex pair spoke to Cricinfo on Monday while turning out for the World XI against a West Indies All Star team as part of the reopening of the Kensington Oval on Saturday.

"I walked away because of the state of affairs and not much has changed," said Andy Flower, the former Zimbabwe captain. "Since then it has gone further downhill. I don't believe things will change unless the government changes, so that's the stage we are at."

The brothers left the Zimbabwe team in 2003, disenchanted with government policies and how the ZC cricket body led by Peter Chingoka was rife with financial mismanagement, bias and infighting. Dozens of national players have quit the side since, and Zimbabwe stopped playing Tests more than a year ago because it wasn't competitive enough.

It has a conditional return to Test status in November, but considering the country has had no first-class competition for two years the talk of a return to Test cricket may be premature.

Chingoka was reportedly trying to attract former players for the Zimbabwe squad for next month's World Cup in the Caribbean to avoid embarrassment. Grant Flower, two years younger than Andy, called for a change of administration in the country. Otherwise, he said, the game would perish.

"As Andy said, a lot needs to be done to save the game of cricket in Zimbabwe. We would love to help, but we can't work under the present bosses," said Grant. He also predicted a tough time for the team in the World Cup.

"Zimbabwe has been forced to field a team of kids and we have all seen the results. It's not the players' fault but I don't see them doing very well in the World Cup out here."

James Jones is a freelance journalist based in Zimbabwe

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Andy Flower

Grant Flower

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ICC World Cup

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Zimbabwe