The Sunday News
ZIMBABWE Cricket are said to be trying to bring back former national team star batsman Andrew Flower to become the substantive national team coach ahead of New Zealand’s tour at the end of this month.
Reliable sources have disclosed that Flower, currently employed by the England and Wales Cricket Board as technical director of elite coaching is being targeted to replace Sri Lanka born Australian Davenell Whatmore who was fired at the end of May for poor results. The person familiar with the hunt for a substantive coach said Flower was one of the mentors being considered for the job.
Another former international cricketer that ZC are said to be looking at to coach the national team is former Indian batting stalwart Rahul Dravid who was recently snubbed for a similar position by his own country with the job going Anil Kumble’s way. Former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu who was recently appointed as the national team convener of selectors is said to have been given the task of convincing Flower to accept the offer from ZC.
“Andy Flower is one of those being considered for the vacant of national team coach, the biggest problem is trying to convince him to leave his job with the ECB. The other option is Rahul Dravid who was recently snubbed by India for the position of head coach, because of that he can be available. Chances are that we are going to have a new coach by time of the New Zealand Tests,’’ said our information supplier.
ZC public relations and media manager Darlington Majonga said interim coach Makhaya Ntini was still in charge on a temporary basis and was already preparing for New Zealand’s visit to the country at the end of this month.
“Makhaya Ntini remains in charge as interim head coach and he and the rest of the technical team are gearing up for the forthcoming New Zealand tour. Once the board decides on the substantive coach, we will make the announcement,’’ said Majonga.
Bowling mentor Ntini was installed as head coach on an acting capacity when Whatmore was shown the door ahead of India’s visit. It was a catastrophic display by Zimbabwe who were whitewashed 3-0 in the One Day International series but put up a better show in the three match T20I contest which they lost 2-1.
Flower, a wicketkeeper/batsman during his playing days retired from international cricket at the age of 34 after the 2003 International Cricket Council Cricket World and left for England where he briefly turned out for county side Essex. He got into coaching and in 2009 was appointed as England’s head coach. Flower’s achievement with the Three Lions was winning the Ashes series, a home as well as away Test contest against Australia three times in a row and also won England their first ever limited overs title when he won the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 staged in West Indies.
After a disastrous 2014 Ashes series, Flower stepped down from his position as England coach but has remained as an employee of the ECB.
