Flower wilts at rating among greats

Andy Flower is embarrassed to be rated with Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar and Australian captain Steve Waugh as one of the top three Test batsmen in world cricket.

The Zimbabwean wicketkeeper-batsman achieved the best Test average in the game last year, posting 1045 runs at 80.38 from nine Tests with five 50s and three centuries, including an ubeaten 232 to save a Test against India in Nagpur last month.

His stellar year resulted in his ranking on the ratings of Test cricketers climbing from 12 a year ago to two last month, temporarily pushing Steve Waugh back into third position.

But the 32-year-old lefthander does not regard himself in the same company as batsmen like Tendulkar, Waugh and Brian Lara. "To be quite honest, no I don't," Flower said Thursday as Zimbabwe prepared for Friday's day-night match against Australia A at the Gabba here.

"I think I'm quite realistic enough to realise that there are major differences. Certainly, these rankings are well and good and they tell part of the story.

"Very simply, some of those guys are pretty special cricketers. I'm a pretty ordinary cricketer that has been getting some reasonable results. That's the way I feel anyway." In 48 Tests, Flower has amassed 3625 runs at an average of 51.05 with nine hundreds, a record now only being challenged by Australia's Adam Gilchrist. His one day record is also outstanding, with 4911 runs from 161 matches at 33.4, including two hundreds and 41 half-centuries.

Mail Cricket Editor