Andy Flower

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Andy Flower

---

country = Zimbabwe
fullname = Andrew Flower
nickname = Petals
living = true
dayofbirth = 28
monthofbirth = 4
yearofbirth = 1968
placeofbirth = Cape Town
countryofbirth = South Africa
dayofdeath =
monthofdeath =
yearofdeath =
placeofdeath =
countryofdeath =
heightft = 5
heightinch = 10
batting = Left-handed
bowling = Right-arm off break
role = Wicket-keeper
international = true
testdebutdate = 18 October
testdebutyear = 1992
testdebutagainst = India
testc

lasttestdate = 16 November
lasttestyear = 2002
lasttestagainst = Pakistan
odidebutdate = 23 February
odidebutyear = 1992
odidebutagainst = Sri Lanka
odic

lastodidate = 15 March
lastodiyear = 2003
lastodiagainst = Sri Lanka
odishirt =
club1 = Essex
year1 = 2002-2006
clubnumber1 =
club2 = MCC
year2 = 1996-2005
clubnumber2 =
club3 = South Australia
year3 = 2003/04
clubnumber3 =
club4 = Mashonaland
year4 = 1993/94-2002/03
clubnumber4 =
deliveries = balls
columns = 4
column1 = Tests
matches1 = 63
runs1 = 4794
bat avg1 = 51.54
100s/50s1 = 12/27
top score1 = 232*
deliveries1 = 3
wickets1 = -
bowl avg1 = -
fivefor1 = -
tenfor1 = -
best bowling1 = -
catches/stumpings1 = 151/9
column2 = ODIs
matches2 = 213
runs2 = 6786
bat avg2 = 35.34
100s/50s2 = 4/55
top score2 = 145
deliveries2 = 30
wickets2 = -
bowl avg2 = -
fivefor2 = -
tenfor2 = -
best bowling2 = -
catches/stumpings2 = 141/32
column3 = FC
matches3 = 223
runs3 = 16379
bat avg3 = 54.05
100s/50s3 = 49/75
top score3 = 271*
deliveries3 = 629
wickets3 = 7
bowl avg3 = 38.57
fivefor3 = 0
tenfor3 = 0
best bowling3 = 1/1
catches/stumpings3 = 361/21
column4 = LA
matches4 = 380
runs4 = 12511
bat avg4 = 38.97
100s/50s4 = 12/97
top score4 = 145
deliveries4 = 132
wickets4 = 1
bowl avg4 = 103.00
fivefor4 = 0
tenfor4 = 0
best bowling4 = 1/21
catches/stumpings4 = 254/48
date = 13 November
year = 2007
source = http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/zimbabwe/content/player/55427.html Cricinfo

Andrew "Andy" Flower (born 28 April 1968 in Cape Town, South Africa) was an international cricketer for Zimbabwe and is now the assistant coach of England. He played from his high school days at St. George's College through to most of his career alongside his younger brother Grant Flower. Flower is considered to be one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen, alongside players such as Australian Adam Gilchrist and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara. He made his international debut in a One Day International against Sri Lanka at New Plymouth, New Zealand in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. He was Zimbabwe's wicket-keeper for over 10 years and, according to official statistics, by far the finest batsman the country has ever fielded. A good player of spin, he made 540 runs in a Test series against India in 2000/01. This tally came in just four innings and he was only dismissed twice.

Nearing the end of his career, Flower achieved international recognition (along with team mate Henry Olonga) in 2003 by wearing a black armband in a Cricket World Cup match to protest against the policies of Zimbabwe's government, led by Robert Mugabe. He and Olonga released a statement on 10 February, stating in part:

This act led to pressure from Zimbabwe's government and Flower's retirement from Zimbabwean cricket. He later played an English county cricket season for Essex and an Australian domestic season for South Australia.

Flower played 63 Test matches for Zimbabwe, scoring 4,794 runs at an average of 51.54 and taking 151 catches and 9 stumpings, and 213 one-day internationals, scoring 6,786 runs at an average of 35.34 and taking 141 catches and 32 stumpings. He holds the Zimbawean records for the most Test career runs, the highest Test batting average, and most ODI career runs. He is the only Zimbabwean in the ICC's [http://www.lgiccrankings.com/test/batting/all-time-ranking.php Top 100 All-time Test Batting rankings] at Number 24, putting him in the company of Brian Lara (ranked 19), Sachin Tendulkar (20), Steve Waugh (23) and Rahul Dravid (25 in September 2006).

On 7 May 2007 Andy was appointed Assistant Coach of the England team replacing Matthew Maynard. Andy Flower will join up with Peter Moores and the rest of the squad for the first test match against the West Indies at Lord's on 17 May 2007. Upon his appointment to this role with the ECB, Flower, having not played yet this season due to injury, ended his playing spell at Essex, bringing his playing career to a close. This has left him stranded on 49 first class centuries, so whether he will still play the occasional first class match for M.C.C. in order to try to reach his landmark remains to be seen.

External links

* [http://vijju.net/zimbabwe_death_of_democracy_cricket.aspx Full text of Olonga and Flower's World Cup protest statement]