Indians identify Andy Flower's foibles

Andy Flower doesn't seem to be that invincible a batsman after all. Only the Indians did not know till now how to tackle him. Arguably the world's best wicketkeeper-batsman, Andy Flower has made a career out of thrashing Indian bowlers. Nearly a third of his 3000-odd runs in Test cricket including his best of 232 not out have come against India. The bowlers simply did not have any clue to stop him.

Not any more. The computer analysis of the batsman's technique and his scoring pattern have revealed interesting vulnerabilities that the Indians are all set to exploit. The computer assistance, in the form of a 14-kg heavy machine which simulates live action and dissects each player's plus and minus points, could be very harsh and candid in analysing a cricketer.

And this analysis has revealed that Andy Flower hardly makes a run in front of the wicket. Of his 83 runs in the second innings of the Bulawayo Test, 38 came through cuts and glides over the slips while 13 were the result of glides and sweeps behind the wicket. There were only two runs in front of the square on the onside. On the offside he did not have a single run in front of the square.

"We now know the best way to deal with him is to make him drive," says Nandan, a former Karnataka Ranji Trophy player, who has been assigned by the Cricket Board for using the machine and the software, produced by a company called Phoenix for the next six months and help the team with his feedback.

On the first day of the second Test yesterday, Ashish Nehra put it into practice and saw immediate results. Andy Flower would present a dead bat to all his fast skidding deliveries. There was no chance for him to cut or glide him down the legside off his pads.

The Indians had their lessons in the Nagpur Test of last year too. Only they didn't learn it quite well. On a docile, sleeping beauty of a pitch at the Vidharba Cricket Association ground, Flower made 232 that included 28 fours. As many as 20 of them were hit behind square. This on a pitch where you would not expect a batsman to cut or flick so prolifically since the ball was rarely fizzing off the track.

In all, 78 of Flower's runs were a creation of flick and sweep while 45 runs came through cuts and glides on the offside. The computer software has become very popular with the team with almost every player keen to examine his game and learn from the mistakes. "Not Sachin Tendulkar though," says Nandan "He is a genius. Probably he doesn't need this input into his batting."

"It is just a make-up of a cricketer. Some cricketers just do not like being confronted with their weaknesses. It could be a blow to their mental make-up. Sachin could be classified as one in this category," said Nandan.

The video of a player's innings could also be used to motivate him. V V S Laxman smashed no less than 44 fours in that outstanding knock of 281 against Australia in Kolkata earlier this year. He has been presented with a cassette of all the fours he hit in that knock to pump himself up.

"Just a look at that smashing innings of his, where he thrashed the bowlers like (Glenn) McGrath, (Jason) Gillespie and (Shane) Warne could act as a great booster to his confidence, especially before going into a match," says Nandan who also works as a deputy manager at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore.

This computer assistance, first used in the home series against Zimbabwe last year, was given a formal shape in February this year. "So far the contract is for only six months. After this series, it will be renewed," Nandan said.