Cricket: Flower to miss first match as coach

BIRMINGHAM: England coach Andy Flower will miss his first match since he took over as the team director when the 43-year-old skips the One-Day International (ODI) against Ireland in Dublin. In his place, Richard Halsall, the fielding coach, will be in charge of the team as Flower sits out after the final Test against India. The former Zimbabwe batsman will rejoin the squad ahead of the Twenty20s against India on August 31 followed by five ODIs. Two more Twenty20s have been added to the end of the season against West Indies to fulfil contractual obligations after the loss of the Stanford games.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2011.