TESTS COME FIRST, INSISTS FLOWER

AndY FLowEr has dismissed claims that England have put white-ball cricket ahead of their Test fortunes as he embarks on a caretaker role as the ECB’s director of England cricket.

Flower, the former head coach, is standing in for Andrew Strauss, who has taken time off to be with wife ruth while she is treated for cancer. But, on another bad day for England against Pakistan at Lord’s, he warned Joe root’s side that they need to prove themselves worthy of selection.

‘There has been a big push towards white-ball cricket and they have done some amazing things with the 50-over side,’ he said. ‘Yes, the Test side has struggled a little more, especially away from home. But I don’t think they’ve been taking their eye off the red ball. we have seen a couple of changes already under Ed Smith. People are getting their chance and it is up to those players to take it and establish themselves.’

Flower, who will coach an International XI against west Indies at Lord’s next week in a T20 match to raise funds for the restoration of cricket grounds destroyed by hurricanes last year in the Caribbean, said the ECB’s Lions programmes had not yet delivered results.

‘There are too many mediumpacers dominating some of the first-class games,’ he said. ‘The imperative is for quick bowlers and spinners. we should as much as possible try to replicate (Test) conditions, so our players grow in the right sort of way.’