England are underdogs and confident, says Flower

LONDON - With just three days left to the start of the first Ashes Test at Cardiff, England’s team director Andy Flower said the hosts are confident of winning the series.

“I am confident. I trust our guys. We’re underdogs, simply because, even though we might be at home, they are ranked first in the world and we are fifth. But I don’t do predictions,” Flower was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.

“It’s the great thing about sport that you don’t know what’s around the corner. But we’re going to find out over the next couple of months.”

Flower said that he was impressed with the way Andrew Strauss and Co. dominated the West Indies at home.

“What I was most impressed with was the way we dominated the recent West Indies series in our own territory. Not often is it said that an England team is ruthless, but in this situation we were,” he said.

But the challenge for the former Zimbabwe captain is to repeat the success of 2005, when England won the Ashes after 18 years.

“It was great for world cricket that England won in 2005. But it was a pity they could not then sustain that level of intensity. Part of my job now is to ensure we can climb those heights again, but also then sustain them,” he said.

Flower has very simple take on coaching and doesn’t want to complicate his role.

“I didn’t think there were any huge mysteries to batting, for instance, when I was a batter. As a coach, I’m pretty much of a similar view. There are no magic answers and I’ve got to be myself. Being myself is being fairly honest and open with the players. I like us to be honest as a side, but determined, streetwise and strong. I want those qualities to be part of our set-up,” he said.