World Twenty20 - Flower urges England to attack

Eurosport - Sun, 14 Jun 10:38:00 2009

Andy Flower has urged England to try and play with a controlled aggression if they are to beat India and remain in contention for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament.

CRICKET Andy Flower - England coach - 0

England need victory at Lord's over the reigning holders if they are to avoid being dismissed from the competition following Thursday's seven wickets defeat by South Africa at Trent Bridge, when they were dismissed for their lowest ever Twenty20 international score of 111.

"India are a very good side and we respect them tremendously but we aren't fearful of them," said England coach Flower. "We'll play an attacking brand of Twenty20 cricket when we face them."

He added: "We're definitely not going to win this tournament by playing conservative cricket and there's a blend of attack and good decision-making that you've got to find.

"It's not just crash, bang, wallop all the time, there is a lot of thought that goes into that crash, bang, wallop and there is a skill to playing the right shot at the right time."

England struggled to find that right blend against South Africa, when they lost five wickets for 14 runs in 20 balls at one point, and may consider making changes for their must-win encounter with India's star-studded line-up.

Essex all-rounder Graham Napier, one of the few England players with Indian Premier League experience, could come into contention despite not featuring in either of England's warm-up matches or their three matches in the tournament.

But England are unlikely to veer away from their trusted formation too greatly and are expected to continue with their policy of playing both leg-spinner Adil Rashid and off-spinner Graeme Swann to try and exploit the worn pitches.

"If we'd have had a score of 140 on the board (against South Africa) with that type of bowling I think we could have put them under some sort of pressure," said Flower.

"(Stuart) Broad especially was good with the ball again as were the two spinners. Adil Rashid, our youngster, I thought bowled with a lot of skill and Swann is obviously a more proven performer and did what we know he can do."

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  1. The way to put the bowlers on the back foot is not to­ let them dominate hit them early too many times we­ watch tentative early batting allowing the bowlers to­ gain confidence, this only brings further pressure on­ the batters it is better to have tried and lost than­ not to try at all.

    From IAN, on Sun 14 Jun 10:11AM

  2. I think Mr Flower is 'flowering' his word a­ little!! Perhaps he cannot think anything else to say­ about England's lack of attacking brand of­ cricket!! 20/20 supposed to be attacking otherwise it­ would not be 20/20 would it?? What on earth the­ English coach been watching so far??
    It is nice to­ defend the team and be loyal to your players but, there­ come a time the coach and the selectors take a radical­ look at some of the players to see why they cannot­ perform at thihs level. Its not that the English boys­ lack experience in 20/20. The game has gone on for few­ years not here in UK!! So, the players and most of all­ the coach should know that 20/20 supposed to be an­ attacking brand of cricket by now!!

    From P, on Sat 13 Jun 1:23PM

  3. "If we'd have had a score of 140... I think we­ could have put them under some sort of­ pressure"!!
    Well you didn't did you! The­ paltry and embarrassing total of one hundred and eleven­ did not even come remotely close so to wave such crass­ speculations in the face of the already battered­ English cricketing public is frankly just more empty­ words. And we've had enough empty words these last­ four years to make even a bullsh***ing politician raise­ an over paid eyebrow. As for "playing an attacking­ brand of 20/20 cricket". Well Hello!! Just woken­ up have we? Yes that is how one is supposed to play­ this format of the game - pop a little gold star next­ to the coach's nipple.

    From nocohere, on Sat 13 Jun 11:23AM

  4. Dream on Andy!

    From ANDREW G, on Sat 13 Jun 9:41AM
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