Flintoff No Longer Left Dizzy By Spin Thanks to Flower

Nobody has batted better in India than Andy Flower. His involvement admittedly was limited, five Tests spanning nine years. But he averaged 117 and in one glorious week eight years ago he followed an unbeaten 183 in Delhi with 232 not out in Nagpur, to confirm himself as one of the finest players of spin in the modern era.

There was no Anil Kumble or Harbhajan Singh against Zimbabwe in that series, but Indian Test spinners on turning Indian pitches can never be lightly dismissed. Such personal success might tempt Flower, as England's batting coach, to be prescriptive about the way to succeed on the subcontinent. He is nothing of the sort, instead encouraging players to develop approaches that suit their natural inclinations.

One who might benefit most from Flower's approach is Andrew Flintoff. Duncan Fletcher's success as England coach is beyond question, but Fletcher himself freely admits that his relationship with Flintoff the batsman was not always straightforward.

Flintoff was asked after his hundred in England's first warm-up match, a controlled, occasionally violent innings, if he had become a little confused about Fletcher's advocacy of the forward press - an initial forward movement, pressing on the front foot - against spinners. "What did you think?" he asked and laughed uproariously. He was also one of Fletcher's least able pupils when it came to the sweep shot.

Flower, another Zimbabwean, has encouraged Flintoff to play to his strengths. "You can be a good player of spin by playing in different ways," he said. "A Flintoff can't use the same sort of method that a [Ravia] Bopara or a [Ian] Bell could. They like to use their feet, to get forward and back. He is a big strong bloke and he has to play differently for physical reasons.

"One of Fred's strengths is definitely hitting down the ground, playing strong shots. He has got a little more skill than I thought before I took this job and studied him. He has quite a lot of skill for a big bloke. He was playing well against the South Africans at the end of the summer. This will be a different challenge against spin but he did quite well in India last time so his experience of the conditions will hold him in good stead.

"Some of the most important things like picking length and playing accordingly do apply, but you also need to be clear about how you personally play spinners, and to understand your own game. If your skills are really good in other areas and you don't need to sweep, then don't sweep."

It is a long way from a hundred against a collection of Mumbai club cricketers to the sort of herculean effort produced by Flower for Zimbabwe eight years ago. But Flintoff has set a marker. England will hope that it is the first of many.