England coach Andy Flower said on Wednesday the ongoing spot-fixing row involving Pakistan had led to the “sullying of cricket’s name and reputation.”
However, he urged fans to come and support the side in England’s upcoming five one-day internationals against the scandal-hit tourists, who appear worn down by the controversy engulfing them and a schedule that saw them play seven Tests in six weeks, including two against Australia.
Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif have all been suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after allegedly conspiring to deliberately bowl no-balls during last month’s fourth Test against England at Lord’s.
Flower added the controversy may have been a factor in the poor attendance in Cardiff on Tuesday when fewer than 6,000 spectators saw World Twenty20 champions England wrap up a 2-0 series win in that format against Pakistan, who were never in the hunt after being bowled out for their record T20 low of 89.
However, the former Zimbabwe batsman also implicitly criticized his paymasters at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for scheduling both Twenty20 matches in Cardiff in the space of a few days, with England winning Sunday’s opener in the Welsh capital by five wickets.
“It was a strange atmosphere,” Flower told reporters on Wednesday as he reflected on Tuesday’s match, which England won with six overs to spare.
“That must be the smallest crowd I’ve ever been involved in with an England team in Britain,” he said. “It’s a real pity. Perhaps the weather didn’t help on Tuesday but no-one wants our national side to play in front of such a small crowd.”
“To have two Twenty20 games at the same venue at this stage of the season might have been an error. It’s something the ECB might want to look at,” Flower said. “None of us want to see small crowds but we all hope people turn up in great numbers for the last five matches.”
Flower said spectators may also have been put off by the allegations surrounding Pakistan.
“There’s inevitably a bit of a gloomy atmosphere at the moment and with the sullying of cricket’s name and reputation that’s understandable,” he said. “It’s a pity because we are playing some outstanding cricket. We have won two games comfortably and for the skills of the bowlers in particular to be overshadowed so completely is sad. It’s fair to say it was the same in the Test series [which England won 3-1] too.”
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