BY ZIMBABWE CRICKET
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has congratulated Andy Flower after he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame on Sunday, becoming the first Zimbabwean to get the prestigious recognition.
After the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced his induction, ZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani hailed the 53-year-old former Zimbabwe captain as a true legend of the sport.
“ZC would like to congratulate Andy on his induction into the ICC Hall of Fame,” he said.
“This is an absolutely awesome and well-deserved acknowledgement that has immortalised him as one of the world’s greatest cricket players ever.
“We are not only proud of our true legend for the latest honour bestowed upon him, but also grateful to him for the immense contributions that he has made and continues to make to cricket on and off the field.”
Flower earned his place in the pantheon of the world’s greatest cricketers following a stellar international career spanning 11 years.
He played 63 Test matches as a wicketkeeper-batsman for Zimbabwe, scoring 4 794 runs at an average of 51.54 and taking 151 catches and nine stumpings.
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Flower also featured in 213 one-day international (ODI) matches, scoring 6 786 runs at an average of 35.34 and taking 141 catches and 32 stumpings.
As a testament to his greatness, most of his records still stand today — 18 years after he retired from playing.
Flower is the only Zimbabwean to be ranked the world’s number one Test batsman.
He also remains the only player to score an ODI hundred on debut in a World Cup match after he announced his arrival on the big stage with an unbeaten 115 against Sri Lanka on 23 February 1992 at New Plymouth in New Zealand.
Flower holds the Zimbabwean records for the most Test career runs, the highest Test batting average and most ODI career runs.
His 12 centuries and 27 fifties in Test cricket as well as 55 ODI fifties have also not been surpassed by any other Zimbabwean player.
After his playing career was over, Flower has also done very well as a coach.
“His grit, determination and will to succeed meant at one point he was ranked number one batsman in the world,” the ICC said about Flower as the world cricket body inducted the Zimbabwe legend into the Hall of Fame for the “greatest contributions to the game between 1996 and 2015”.
“Andy carried his country’s batting for long periods, setting the record for the highest Test score by a wicketkeeper with an innings of 232 not out against India at Nagpur in 2000,” it said in a media release.
“Later, he became a hugely successful coach, leading England to the number one spot in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Rankings for Men.”
Apart from Flower, nine other legends of the game were also inducted on Sunday, taking the illustrious list of ICC Hall of Famers to a total of 103.
#AndyFlower #ICCHallOfFame.
