Flower: Tour is bad news

Flower played 67 Tests and 219 one-day internationals

Former Zimbabwe batsman Grant Flower believes England's forthcoming one-day tour is bad for international cricket.

England will play five one-day matches in Zimbabwe in November and a clean sweep is on the cards against a young, inexperienced home team.

"An Academy side would beat Zimbabwe at present," Flower told BBC Sport.

"International cricket should be between the two best sides of their respective countries. I don't think this will be the case."

Flower is one of 15 so-called rebel players who turned their backs on the Zimbabwe Cricket Union earlier this year in a row over selection policy.

Three of the junior members of their group have since reversed their decision but the likes of Flower, former captain Heath Streak and Stuart Carlisle, Ray Price, Andy Blignaut and Sean Ervine have all signed contracts to play overseas.

Their exodus led to the International Cricket Council deciding that Zimbabwe should not play any more Test matches in 2004.

The new-look team, skippered by wicket-keper Tatenda Taibu, have struggled to compete at top level and lost to England by 152 runs during the Champions Trophy.

"Even when we were playing we were losing more games than we won. That was a big struggle for us and now it's gone even further into strife.

"At this stage thing aren't looking overly bright for the future of Zimbabwe cricket in my opinion," said Flower, who will join his brother Andy at Essex next summer.

Andy retired from international cricket after he and team-mate Henry Olonga staged a black armband protest against their government during last year's World Cup.

They claimed they were "mourning the death of democracy" in Zimbabwe.