Flowers’ sibling rivalry blooms

There are many instances of brothers playing together in the same competition, but not often do you see them coaching different teams. Atreyo Mukhopadhyay reports.

There are many instances of brothers playing together in the same competition, but not often do you see them coaching different teams. That too at the same World Cup!

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Flowers — Andy and Grant — have achieved this rare feat with the former being chief coach of England and the younger one accompanying Zimbabwe as batting coach.

A wicketkeeper-batsman of considerable repute, Andy was England’s assistant coach for a period before being promoted, while Grant joined the team they played for recently. “We have been involved in coaching since our younger days, but it was a strangely pleasant feeling to be associated with national teams at the highest level,” Grant told HT.

Grant said he was looking forward to a match against England but with the teams in different groups and Zimbabwe not being among the favourites to reach the quarterfinals, it’s unlikely to happen soon. “There might not be a great chance of us coming against each other in this World Cup, but Andy is my brother and doing very well as England coach. I am proud of him,” said Grant.

The former batsman who also bowled left-arm spin revealed that before Monday’s match he had spoken to his brother about how to contain Shane Watson, given that England played Australia just before the World Cup. “Watson can finish a match if he gets going and I asked Andy because I couldn’t think of what to do against him. Frankly speaking, he too couldn’t say anything.”

Grant said he and Andy were always interested in coaching. “We first started as coaches in our playing days. Then we got employed as professional coaches with Zimbabwe Cricket.”

Like Andy, Grant too had left Zimbabwe when things started getting bad before returning home. “I always wanted to come back and give something back to the country. In life, we all get tested in different ways. Life in Africa is turbulent at the best of times but I think it also makes an individual stronger.”