Flower hopes for brighter tomorrow

Andy Flower: Played in every one of Zimbabwe's 41 Tests

Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower has urged his country's Cricket Union to do more to raise the profile of the team and speed the development of the game.

Speaking ahead of their first Test match in England at Lord's, Flower acknowledged that they were still at the bottom of cricket's international pecking order.

We are the ninth strongest Test-playing nation in the world - I believe our rating is a true one

Andy Flower

"We are realistic about our position in world cricket but we believe we can compete and compete better all the time. We don't want to stay at the bottom. We want to get up that ladder," he said.

Zimbabwe were granted full membership of the International Cricket Council in 1991 but Flower insisted that the ZCU's development programme is not moving forwards fast enough.

He added: "I don't think there is enough emphasis put to improve infrastructures, grounds, in the townships or high density areas.

"We want to be constantly improving at domestic level, which in turn will improve our national side."

Despite his concerns, Flower believes there are positive signs for the future.

"We are in the second year of our academy. We have increased the provincial sides from three to five.

"In the short term, it will dissipate the strength a little, but in the long term, with the academy graduates feeding into those provinces and a semi-professional base set-up, in five to 10 years there will be a substantial growth in first-class cricket in Zimbabwe."

The number of black youngsters taking up the sport offers a particular sign of encouragement in Flower's view, with 57 offered places at the academy since it opened last year.

"There is a good, amicable cricket relationship between the whites, blacks, coloureds and Asians. If we could have that permeating through our entire society, it would be a much happier society," said Flower.