Anderson’s return home, Pietersen are England’s Ashes concerns: Flower
By ANITuesday, December 14, 2010
PERTH - England coach Andy Flower reckons that fast bowler James Anderson’s fatigue and star batsman Kevin Pietersen’s off-field indulgences are more worrying than third Ashes Test opponents, Australia.
Flower was assessing the toll taken by Anderson’s dash to return home for the birth of his second child this week, which involved two long-haul flights in four days.
“It is not the ideal preparation, but we will try to get the right amount of rest into him over the next few days,” Fox Sports quoted Flower, as saying.
“In competition, you can’t always get perfect preparation. You get things that can go wrong with illness, family or injuries. There are all sorts of distractions, but this is just one of those things you have to deal with,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pietersen was again under the team management’s scanner for Tweeting his disapproval of Adelaide Oval’s practice wickets before the second Test, and was booked for speeding in a Lamborghini by Melbourne Police last week.
Flower said that the team management had cautioned Pietersen.
“We all have to realize our responsibilities and he is no different,” Flower said.
Third Test of the Ashes series will begin at the WACA Ground in Perth from Thursday.(ANI)
