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Andy Flower says England must improve for two Ashes series

Last updated on .From the section Cricketcomments80

Jonathan Trott, Alastair Cook and James Anderson

Coach Andy Flower says England need to improve to beat Australia in back-to-back Ashes series this year.

His team narrowly avoided defeat against New Zealand, holding on to draw the decisive third Test in Auckland.

"We've got a big year of international cricket and we will need to be sharper, better and more skilful," said Flower.

"But it has been a wonderful winter and to win in India was a really special moment. The only series we have lost was the one-day series in India."

Each of the three Tests against New Zealand was drawn, but England won two and drew one of the four Tests in India at the end of 2012, the first time they had won a series there since 1985.

They face a busy year with two home Tests against New Zealand followed by the one-day Champions Trophy tournament and a five-Test series against Australia, before travelling down under in the winter.

England, ranked the second best Test side in the world, faced suggestions they were complacent for their matches against New Zealand, although Flower insisted they had not taken their opponents lightly.

"We place importance on all international series and it would be disrespectful to do anything other than that - there was no complacency in our camp," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"We understood it would be a tough challenge to come here and win. Just because you are ranked above another team it doesn't give you the right to win any series.

"It was a good escape in the end. But we got ourselves into trouble, we didn't play particularly great cricket and did well to get a draw.

"Ian Bell and Matt Prior were excellent; they fought hard and that's a quality of the team, but we have to be better to get into winning positions, not scratching our way to a draw.

"We didn't move the ball sideways and if you don't move the ball against international batsmen you are not going to create chances. That was worrying for me. They swung the ball and we didn't do that too much."

With New Zealand on top in Auckland, England pushed nine fielders near to the boundary, but Flower defended the negative move.

"I've seen it on a number of occasions in Test cricket by various sides and it was a perfectly legitimate tactic," said Flower.

"We had no chance of winning the game and had to slow them down. They were fighting for every minute and every run.

"You can deploy your field to take wickets but in this instance the most important thing was to restrict the opponent."

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80 comments

  • Comment posted by Mendicance, at 12:17 27 Mar 2013

    Well played new Zealand. I don't think England were complacent, the opponents made life difficult for us. That's all.

  • Comment posted by User0281256003, at 11:56 27 Mar 2013

    Paul, I'm sure you mean Kookaburra ball. The Dukes is used in England.

    This series result isn't as bad as some are making it out to be. New Zealand are not a bad team (South Africa crushed them simply because they're a class above anyone at the moment), and playing anyone away is hard, especially with little preparation and after a big series like India.

    Let's judge things after the home series

  • Comment posted by User0697512663, at 12:47 27 Mar 2013

    In relation to comment 22 unfortunately by writing FACT in capital letters does not make you right. We had S. Africans when we were rubbish too. i.e. Hick, Lamb, Smith etc. It is a boring old argument which whingers about English cricket always fall back on. Will always have people brought up in different countries coming to play for England - always have and always will - that is a FACT!

  • Comment posted by User0148483268, at 11:17 27 Mar 2013

    This was a very disappointing tour for England; they were immensely lucky to get away with a draw. They won very few sessions in the field and bowled poorly and have collapsed whilst batting all too often. Unfamiliarity with the Duke ball and New Zealands' much superior ability to swing it killed England's chances in the series.

    Well played New Zealand, great credit to you.

  • Comment posted by Lyrical_myrical, at 12:16 27 Mar 2013

    England got outplayed in the last test massively, and slightly in the first test, but don't forget that we probably would have won the second if it wasn't for two days of rain. I think we just need a little hunger back, the talent is still there. My money is on us beating the Kiwis when they come over here, but its gunna be tough.

  • Comment posted by NothernApe, at 13:55 27 Mar 2013

    Well played new Zealand. I don't think England were complacent, the opponents made life difficult for us. That's all.

  • Comment posted by duncandisorderly, at 01:14 28 Mar 2013

    @56.

    HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

  • Comment posted by User0402693021, at 16:43 27 Mar 2013

    Simple really. Stick KP and Swanny and Big Tim in the team and we will have the balance and the power to wipe the floor with Australia yet again.

  • Comment posted by User0142354336, at 15:52 27 Mar 2013

    Striving to improve as individuals and as a team should be an ever-present ethic for sportsmen, whether they're winning or losing.

  • Comment posted by matthueycamo, at 12:22 27 Mar 2013

    No! Really? I guess the next stage to stating the blindingly obvious about doing better will be asking them to go away and come up with a short presentation on how to improve!

  • Comment posted by User0530501166, at 14:17 27 Mar 2013

    @ 22. Money

    Most sport teams around the world have players who were born in other countries. Globalisation is a fact of life right now.

    That kind of talk is outdated and nowadays only comes from inbreds.

  • Comment posted by hainba, at 14:52 27 Mar 2013

    My worry is that the team to play NZ will not be a balanced one and may disrupt the development of the side. At least we are identifying talent early and the opportunities are there for Root, Woakes & Taylor etc.

    Still back them for a return to winning ways with Flower & Cook at the helm

  • Comment posted by Apostate, at 20:07 27 Mar 2013

    Chris Tremlett back for one last harrah in Oz for the Ashes.

    They don't like it up 'em and they didn't like him.

  • Comment posted by mrnoneofyourbusiness, at 01:07 29 Mar 2013

    @65, but don't take my word about Warwickshire's usual batting order in four day cricket. This year's Wisden will be out soon. In it you'll find full scorecards from every county championship match played last season. I challenge you to find one game Warwickshire played in which Woakes batted ahead of Clarke! When you follow county cricket as closely as I do you know these things!

  • Comment posted by User0905505656, at 16:48 27 Mar 2013

    Personally, I believe that you all need to give England a break?

    Played fantastically well in India to win a series there for the first time in nearly 20 years.

    Play a youthful NZ side, with some very good players. Trent Boult and Martin look fantastic talents.

    Why disrespect their team saying 'England should have battered them?'

    Typical English Complacency

  • Comment posted by User0247163469, at 19:43 27 Mar 2013

    Not a bad team from 48, although i think Root or Tremlett would be ahead of Bresnan.

  • Comment posted by James Angus Sutherland, at 13:27 27 Mar 2013

    Flower has been misquoted. He says nothing about the Ashes per se. I think his immediate objective will be to beat NZ. Why is the BBC so fixated with Australia and the Ashes? SA whitewashed Pakistan and Smith became the first captain to win 50 tests and yet there was no report whereas the Australia/India Series received extensive coverage. The BBC must decide whether this is a cricket site.

  • Comment posted by NothernApe, at 12:39 27 Mar 2013

    England got outplayed in the last test massively, and slightly in the first test, but don't forget that we probably would have won the second if it wasn't for two days of rain. I think we just need a little hunger back, the talent is still there. My money is on us beating the Kiwis when they come over here, but its going to be tough.

  • Comment posted by User0377964990, at 12:14 27 Mar 2013

    He is right, and I have no doubt we will improve. No disrespect to NZ, but a home Ashes series is a lot bigger than a 3 test winter tour and so no real surprise we weren't at our peak. We were outplayed in large parts by NZ, but I think overall a draw is a fair result (including the wash out) but now let's now regroup and give the aussies the stuffing they deserve, twice!!

  • Comment posted by User0319810706, at 13:33 28 Mar 2013

    I have to say those making jokes about Jesse Ryder being attacked are a disgrace - the blokes in a coma for gods sake.

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