Pakistan’s batting ‘Flowers’ under Grant

Batting coach defends decision to not enforce follow-on


Nabeel Hashmi November 01, 2014

ABU DHABI:


Pakistan batting coach Grant Flower has defended the decision to not enforce the follow-on against Australia by explaining that the thinking is to get to a stage where there can only be one winner in the match.


Captain Misbahul Haq’s decision to bat again, despite having a 309-run lead in the first innings, was received with widespread criticism but has the backing of the former Zimbabwe player. Asked if he would agree that the decision was conservative, Flower replied, “I don’t think so. There is still lot of cricket to be played and we are trying to get to a point where there is only one winner, being 1-0 up in the series, that’s our thinking. If we can play them out of the game and set them a target that they can’t chase, then there can only be one winner.”

He further added that the team management felt that some of their bowlers were tired, which also helped make the decision. “I was in the nets for quite a bit of time today, so I wasn’t partial to the actual judgment but I think they just wanted our bowlers to come back and get a breather,” he said, also appreciating the pacers for swinging the ball well on such dead wickets. Flower had words of praise for the spinners as well, stating that they bowled to a tight line to maintain pressure on the Australians.

Flower believes the Pakistanis have used their feet well and also praised their use of the sweep shot in order to rotate the strike. One batsman who has done so with particular success is Younus Khan, who speaks highly of Flower, and the coach now returned the favour. “The guy is class so there is always a chance [of a fourth consecutive century]. We’ll bat till lunch tomorrow or probably after, depending on the way we score, so he has got a really good chance of making history.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2014.

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