Flower to join Peshawar PSL coaching staff
Former England coach Andy Flower will join the Peshawar Zalmi franchise for the first Pakistan Premier League next year, and will be their batting coach for three weeks, with permission from the ECB.
England's top brass are keen to get their coaches and players more involved in T20 leagues, after years of resistance, so Flower will spend the three weeks in February in Pakistan.
Flower told ecb.co.uk: "I've been approached to do some batting coaching for Peshawar, one of the franchises in the new Pakistan Super League. I'm looking forward to doing something different.
"I've chatted with Andrew Strauss about whether that's okay from an ECB perspective and he says it is on the basis that it's good for our English coaches to get out and about amongst some of these Twenty20 franchise competitions.
"To learn what's happening outside of the domestic game in England, to interact with some of the international coaches and players, and to bring some of that knowledge back into our game in England."
The former Zimbabwe Test batsman played three tours in Pakistan before cricket teams stopped touring there in 2008, and he said he was pleased to go back and hoped the PSL would lead to Test cricket's return.
Flower added: "I toured Pakistan a number of times as a player, and I think it's really sad that we aren't playing international cricket in Pakistan.
"Of course there are good reasons for that but the sooner we get back playing in Pakistan the better. I really enjoyed my tours anywhere in Asia and Pakistan was no different.
"We toured some fascinating places. Obviously the main cities but also we got out to Peshawar, we played a Test up there, we also played in Quetta, and I always found it fascinating observing another culture.
"In this instance I think I'm really going to find it interesting being in amongst a group of Pakistani players and coaches, with a few international players there.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing how they do things, learning about them, and that should be a fascinating aspect of the three weeks or a month that we're together."
Latest
-
News
England Women wrap up 4-1 series victory in New Zealand
Heather Knight top-scored with 35 in England’s chase of 137.
-
England
England will not adopt negative approach after humbling in India – Zak Crawley
England will aim to get ‘Bazball’ back on track this summer against West Indies and Pakistan.
-
Australia
On this day in 2018: Australian trio banned after ball-tampering saga
The trio were handed their punishments on March 28, 2018.
-
County Cricket
Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware
Stewart has guided Surrey to three County Championship wins during his decade in charge.
-
Women's Cricket
Maia Bouchier smashes 91 as England Women seal T20 series victory
England made 177 for three and then restricted New Zealand to 130 for seven.
-
County Cricket
Yorkshire boosted by Harry Brook and Joe Root’s early-season availability
Both players are not at the Indian Premier League.
-
England
Ollie Pope ‘itching’ to get back scoring runs after ‘frustrating’ tour of India
The England vice-captain hit a superb 196 in Hyderabad, but averaged only 14.75 in the next four Tests of the India series.
-
Women's Cricket
Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return
Australia will host England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes early next year.
-
County Cricket
Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign
Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons.
-
England
England spinner Tom Hartley expects his exploits in India to be ‘life changing’
Hartley’s second-innings haul of seven for 62 in Hyderabad delivered one England’s greatest ever overseas victories.