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Brandon Moyo, Brandonmalvin9@gmail.com
ZIMBABWEAN cricket icon and ICC Hall of Famer, Andy Flower, recently reflected on the Chevrons’ last Test match in Nottingham, England, while also sharing his valuable insights on the upcoming historic tour of the country.
Flower was part of the Zimbabwe team that came close to defeating England in the Trent Bridge Test back in 2000. At that time, the Zimbabwean team, which featured Flower, his brother Grant, Heath Streak, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Murray Goodwin, Guy Whittall, and Alistair Campbell, found themselves on the verge of a famous historic victory.
They needed 212 runs to win with nine wickets in hand, but the match was eventually called off due to rain disruptions. It ended as a draw. Zimbabwe lost the two-match series 1-0.
In an interview conducted by Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, Flower took a trip down memory lane to recall the last time Zimbabwe played at one of England’s iconic cricket venues.
“This is a beautiful place to play cricket. There is always a nice atmosphere. It has the look and feel of traditional English cricket, and usually the conditions here are excellent in any format of the game.
“After getting soundly beaten at Lord’s, the Trent Bridge Test was an excellent game of cricket. We had some outstanding cricketers.
“I felt that in our group, Murray Goodwin and Neil Johnson had made a huge impact when they came to play for us, and they did here at Trent Bridge as well.
“We were able to put England under some pressure, even though it was a rain-affected game.
“We made a brave declaration towards the end of a day, took some early wickets with the new ball, and had them under pressure. It ended up as a drawn Test, but it was a great game of cricket.
“As you know, this is a beautiful place to play cricket, there is always a nice atmosphere. It has the look and feel of traditional English cricket, and usually the conditions here are excellent for cricket in any format. Wonderful memories of Trent Bridge from back then. It was great to be involved in a match like that,” said Flower.
25 years since that game, Zimbabwe will return to West Bridgford for a historic four-day Test match against the Three Lions.
The match is scheduled for May 22-25, marking the Chevrons’ first visit to England since 2003.
As Zimbabwe prepares to return to Trent Bridge — a venue named the best in England for Men’s International Spectator Experience at the 2024 Business of Cricket Awards — Flower said it is a privilege for the Chevrons to be touring England for a Test match, as it is considered one of the pinnacles of the game.
He urged the Zimbabwean team to embrace the challenge and showcase their talent, encouraging the players to represent the badge with pride.
“Playing Test cricket in England is viewed as one of the pinnacles of our game. So for any touring side to come here and play Test cricket is an amazing privilege, and I’m sure the Zimbabweans — who don’t play much Test cricket these days — will really embrace that. I hope two things: that they really enjoy the challenge in front of them and enjoy the experience, and also that they show that they can play.
“I remember back to my early days with Zimbabwe, one of our biggest drivers was being proud of representing the nation and the sport from our country, and trying everything within your power to put on a display that justified our Test status at that time. I hope that the Zimbabwean players can do that out here,” he said.
Flower has already had the privilege of meeting the Chevrons’ coach, Justin Sammons, who took over the reins in June last year as a replacement for Dave Houghton. The Zimbabwean great was impressed by the South African and is confident that Sammons knows what he is doing and will steer the ship well.
A strong performance at an iconic venue is something that will linger in the minds of the current Chevrons squad forever.
“Zimbabwe has a new coach in Justin Sammons. I met him and had a chat when I was commentating on their T20 series against India. He really knows what he’s doing, and I’m sure he’ll be preparing them as well as he can for this challenge.
“Test cricket for Zimbabwe is a rare opportunity for both the players and spectators. To play at an iconic venue like Trent Bridge, hopefully in great conditions, with Zimbabwe putting on a great display of cricket and fight — that will be something the players will always remember.
“It’s also another nudge towards Test cricket, at a time when Test cricket is being challenged by these other formats. It’s being challenged for context, so this will be a big moment for Zimbabweans, Zimbabwean cricket, and also for Test cricket,” Flower said.
Flower also called on the staff at Nottinghamshire and Trent Bridge to do everything they could to create a pitch that is fair to both bat and ball.
He urged the Chevrons to be prepared, both physically and mentally, for the tough challenge ahead.
“The Duke’s ball in England can be a challenging affair for batters, so they’ll have to get themselves organised and ready for that challenge. Trent Bridge can be really tricky, depending on the overhead conditions and the state of the pitch.
“If we get weather like this (clear skies) and the conditions ease a little, it can be beautiful for batting.
“But if we get overhead conditions, it’s going to be really tricky, with seaming and swinging conditions.
The Zimbabweans aren’t used to Test cricket or those conditions, so they are going to be really up for that battle,” he said.
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