Friday Fights | The Big ODI Fight - Andy Flower vs Grant Flower
The Battle for Legacy
|SportsCafe
Ranging from Rahul Dravid vs Inzamam-ul-Haq to Corey Anderson vs Yusuf Pathan, Friday Fights has witnessed many a crazy battle during this lockdown period, but June 26 has in store the most unique battle yet. This week features the first-ever ‘Battle of Brothers’ in FF history, Andy vs Grant Flower.
We’ve seen the ‘Hardy Boyz’ in the ring, we’ve seen the ‘Steiner Brothers’ too, but hold up, this edition of Friday Fights features the most unique battle in the competition’s history - the battle of the Flowers. Two of the biggest and greatest revolutionaries in the history of Zimbabwean cricket, Andy and Grant Flower played an inestimable role in putting Zimbabwe’s name on the world cricket map. Having combinedly played over 550 international games for the country, Andy and Grant were part of the spirited Zimbabwean side that upset India and South Africa in the 1999 World Cup and the duo, till date, are widely regarded as one of the best pairs of brothers to have ever graced the sport. Their legacy as siblings is well and truly engraved in the history books, but blood relations will count for little today when they fight against each other inside the ring; it’ll be each man for himself as the duo battle for supremacy. Without further ado, LET’S GET READY TO WITNESS THE RUMBLE!
ROUND 1 -> CAREER AVERAGE: The elder Flower draws first blood!
The bell rings and BOOM, the siblings are on to each other in no time. Being an opener, it’s Grant who starts off proceedings by attempting a jab, but Andy sees his little brother’s attack coming as he swerves out of the way and lands a right hook to draw first blood. Andy’s career average of 35.34 is marginally superior to his brother’s 33.52.
Andy Flower - 8 and Grant Flower - 7
ROUND 2 -> AVERAGE IN FOREIGN CONDITIONS: And the younger one strikes back!!
Oh, no, no! No Andy, this is not one of your confrontations in backyard cricket where the elder brother gets to bully the younger one. Grant viciously strikes back with a punch right to Andy’s cheekbone to level proceedings. The younger one’s away average of 34.5 is three better than his brother’s 31.46.
Andy Flower - 7 and Grant Flower - 8
ROUND 3 -> AVERAGE IN HOME CONDITIONS: OF COURSE THEY SHARE THE SPOILS!
Ugh, what were we even thinking trying to pit them against each other at home? OF COURSE, THEY SHARE THE SAME HOMES, DUH. And unsurprisingly, here, there is absolutely nothing to separate the two. Batting averages of 36.69 and 36.57 at home for the elder and younger one, respectively, means that the spoils are shared for this round.
Andy Flower - 8 and Grant Flower - 8
ROUND 4 -> AVERAGE IN NEUTRAL VENUES: Señor Andy takes charge!
Having shared the spoils with his brother at home, Grant, brimming with confidence, goes for an over-ambitious, over-enthusiastic right cross but nope, it’s his southpaw brother who evades it and instead lands a left cross. Andy’s average of 38.54 is way, way superior to his brother’s 30.17.
Andy Flower - 8 and Grant Flower - 6
ROUND 5 -> AVERAGE IN MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Big brother for the big occasion - always
They say that you ought to take responsibility if you’re the elder one and that is exactly what Andy Flower has done. Big games are meant for the Big Brother, says Andy, as he catches Grant with a cold-blooded hook to the nose. His average of 37.31 in ICC tournaments is significantly better than Grant, who, in comparison, only has an average of 25.36. No signs of sibling love in that punch, I tell you!
Andy Flower - 9 and Grant Flower - 6
ROUND 6 -> STRIKE RATE: ALL HAIL SIR ANDY!
According to a study which I made up just a couple of seconds ago, elder siblings are more prone to be aggressive than the younger ones AND HOLY COW, ANDY HAS JUST PROVED IT RIGHT! Andy is not just more aggressive than his brother as a character, but as a batsman too as his strike rate of 74.59 is MILES SUPERIOR to Grant’s 67.58. Oh you’ve got some ground to catch up, younger bro!
Andy Flower - 9 and Grant Flower - 6
ROUND 7-> 50 TO 100 CONVERSIONS (in %): AND CATCH UP HE DOES!
STOP THE PRESS - GRANT FLOWER HAS DECLARED WAR! Oh yes, the younger one is not going to go off so easily. His brother might be a better craftsman, but Grant proves that he’s a true opportunist - the right-hander’s 50s to 100s conversion rate of 13.04% is TWICE as better as his southpaw brother’s 6.77%. WE HAVE A CONTEST IN OUR HANDS, FELLAS!
Andy Flower - 5 and Grant Flower - 8
ROUND 8 -> PERCENTAGE OF FIFTIES IN WINNING CAUSES: IT’S CLOSE, IT’S VERY CLOSE
Let’s take a deep breath and take a moment to appreciate the ridiculously close contest we're witnessing, shall we? The two champions - who also happen to be brothers, in case you didn’t know (yeah) - exchange blood-thirsty blows back and forth in their quest to claim bragging rights but after 230 seconds of gruelling exchanges, it’s the elder Flower who wins the round - by the slenderest of margins. His conversion rate of 45.45% is marginally, just marginally, better than his younger brother’s 40%.
Andy Flower - 10 and Grant Flower - 9
ROUND 9 -> PERCENTAGE OF HUNDREDS IN WINNING CAUSES: FLOWER ANNIHILATES FLOWER!
Oh the headline might be misleading - it’s just the media thing, ignore - but yes, one Flower has annihilated the other in this round. AND IT’S NONE OTHER THAN THE YOUNGER ONE, GRANT FLOWER. Through a BRUTAL one-two combo, the right-hander takes out the leftie in a merciless manner to SWEEP the round. He’s scored 33% of his hundreds in winning causes, while his brother has ZERO!
Andy Flower - 5 and Grant Flower - 10
Round 10 -> NUMBER OF FIFTY-PLUS SCORES IN SUCCESSFUL CHASES: Is the younger one going to take the throne?
IT’S TWO ROUNDS IN A ROW FOR GRANT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS BOUT! He’s not just in it, but he’s here to win it! Andy thinks that his 8 fifty-plus scores have sealed him the round, but Grant bounces back off the rope and delivers a fiendish uppercut to steal the round. His 10 fifty-plus scores in successful chases is two more than his brother. OOOH IT’S GETTING REALLY, REALLY CLOSE!
Andy Flower - 9 and Grant Flower - 10
ROUND 11 -> NO OF FIFTY-PLUS SCORES WITH 100+ STRIKE RATE: THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!
THIS IS INCREDULOUS! The brothers have raised the roof with their otherworldly display. The two take the intensity of the fight to a whole new level in this round, as they trade hooks and uppercuts with each other, but it’s Andy Flower who has more left in his tank as he goes the extra mile to inflict pain on his brother. The southpaw’s five scores with a strike rate of over 100 is one better than his brother, and thus it enables him to take the round. ONE POINT IS ALL THAT SEPARATES THE TWO WITH ONE ROUND TO GO!
Andy Flower - 10 and Grant Flower - 9
ROUND 12 -> HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORE: FLOWER SENIOR WINS THE ROUND AND THE BOUT!
AAAAAAAAND IT’S SETTLED! Flower junior throws everything he has, LITERALLY EVERYTHING, but his brother’s intelligence, endurance and measured aggression are way too good for him as it’s ANDY FLOWER WHO KNOCKS HIS LITTLE BROTHER OUT WITH A JAB. Grant’s 142* seems like a world-class score, but it falls ever so short of the 145 posted by his brother against India in 2002. WHAT. A. BATTLE!
WINNER BY TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT - ANDY FLOWER!
FINAL SCORE: ANDY FLOWER 98-96 GRANT FLOWER!
It was the first-ever all-brother bout in Friday Fights history and it SIMPLY DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Just as we suspected prior to the game, the battle of the Flower Brothers turned out to be one of the closest bouts in Friday Fights history and the elder one had to literally extract every ounce of energy he had in his body to get the better of his brother. Heads up, though, Grant - you killed it pal! Well, that was one heck of a fight to conclude the week, but make sure to tune in next week for an equally enthralling battle!
