LAHORE: Terming his job challenging, newly appointed Pakistan team batting coach Grant Flower on Friday said he would seek to polish the skills of the batsmen for demanding international contests, but without doing away with their natural talent.

“I have great respect for Pakistan cricket and I feel proud of being associated with this team but it is also a challenge,” Flower, 43, said while talking to reporters alongside newly appointed fielding coach Grant Luden, on the first day of the Pakistan team’s training camp for the tour to Sri Lanka.

Flower, who featured in 67 Tests and 221 ODIs between 1992 and 2010 scoring 3,457 Test runs at the average of 29.54 and 6,571 ODI runs (33.52), was a reliable pillar of Zimbabwe batting line-up along with his elder brother Andy. Grant has also worked as Zimbabwe batting coach before joining the Pakistan team.

Flower, the former right-handed batsman, unveiled his priorities of his Pakistan job which he began on Friday.

“While there is some time before the 2015 World Cup takes place, the upcoming series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand are main targets,” he revealed.

“I have served Zimbabwe cricket and now it is time to develop my career as coach, so I am here to progress further [as coach].”

Pakistan are scheduled to play two Tests and three ODIs during the Sri Lanka tour next month.

LAHORE: Batting coach Grant Flower (L) and fielding coach Grant Luden speak to reporters here.—White Star

Speaking about his approach of his work with Pakistan batsmen, Flower said: “Of course I have my plans for improving the skills of Pakistan batsmen but first I will watch them individually.”

He agreed with batting legend Javed Miandad’s viewpoint that a player at higher level simply needed fine-tuning. However, he added, every player in order to meet success required to continuously learn the tricks of the trade.

“I will not take the flair out of Pakistan batsmen, it will just be a matter of fine-tuning to get from them consistency, which is most important,” he stated.

Flower, who as slow left-arm orthodox bowler claimed 104 ODI and 25 Test wickets at the average of 40.62 and 61.48 respectively, sought to help Pakistan batsmen gain the maximum.

“Everyone knows they [Pakistan batsmen] are talented and I too rate them high but sometimes they don’t utilise most of their potential and I am here to coach them,” he said.

“The Pakistan team is a blend of experience and upcoming talented players and I will treat every individual differently,” the Zimbabwean, who has signed a two-year contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), added.

Fielding coach Luden said his primary aim was to help make the players enjoy the job of fielding, a very important and decisive department of the game.

“When you enjoy fielding you will perform it from heart and certainly that brings positive results,” he highlighted.

Meanwhile, except four players — Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan — other 11 players reported on the opening day of national camp.

Published in Dawn, July 19th , 2014