ESSEX batsman Andy Flower has retired from cricket with immediate effect in order to take up the position of England assistant coach.Flower has been brought in by recently-appointed England head coach Peter Moores to succeed Matthew Maynard in the role.
ESSEX batsman Andy Flower has retired from cricket with immediate effect in order to take up the position of England assistant coach.
Flower has been brought in by recently-appointed England head coach Peter Moores to succeed Matthew Maynard in the role.
The 39-year-old Zimbabwean leaves his playing days behind after a first-class career that lasted from 1986 to 2006.
Flower scored 16,379 first-class runs at an average of 54.05 including 4,794 runs at 51.54 in 63 Tests.
The left-hander hit 12 Test centuries and also claimed 160 dismissals for his country in a celebrated international career that will see him go down in history as one of the greatest wicketkeeper-batsmen of all-time.
In addition, Flower enjoyed five prolific seasons in county cricket with Essex from 2002-2006 before a hip injury ruled him out of the start of the 2007 season prior to the announcement of his retirement.
He scored 6,215 first-class runs for the county at an average of 54.51 in 81 appearances with 18 hundreds.
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