THEY never compete against each other. Yet they like to compete, for the benefit of the team. Andy outplaying Grant or Grant outclassing Andy. It brings glory to the team. And that is what the Flower brothers have been engaged in from the time the nation made its Test debut in 1992.
Let us not compare them, for they are different. As different as Steve and Mark Waugh; Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath; Ian and Greg Chappell; Hanif, Mushtaq and Sadiq Mohammed. But they have quite a few things in common.
The desire, for instance, to propel Zimbabwe as a force in international cricket. Not a great force which would sweep aside every opposition like Australia, but a respectable cricket side which would give the spectators their money's worth.
Zimbabwe cricket took time to gain recognition, but not the Flower brothers. They made a mark on debut and have only grown in confidence and stature, each season bringing Andy and Grant the motivation to scale greater peaks.
Cricket in Zimbabwe has taken time to establish itself. From the days when the national team would travel to South Africa and compete in the Currie Cup to the time it made its World Cup debut, cricket in Zimbabwe has made steady progress. This progress was watched with interest by Bill Flower, a keen cricketer. He nurtured a dream which took years of toil, but which was realised when his sons stepped on to the field as Zimbabwe made its Test debut in 1992 at the Harare Sports Club.
The Harare Sports Club has been a great hunting ground for the Flower brothers. All oppositions come alike for the brothers when they play in Harare. Belting a Wasim Akram or a Srinath is like whacking someone in their backyard, where they learnt their cricket with Bill as the coach.
For Grant, it would be natural to rate his brother the best in the world. And why not? No bowler can make an impact easily on Andy, who revels when the opposition is on top. He likes to score runs which count.
"I've a few ambitions to realise," Andy had said when we met during Zimbabwe's last tour to India. He loves playing in front of the huge crowds in India. "It inspires me," was his pleasant response when asked to compare how it was to perform to a large audience of 50,000 plus. At home, only a handful of fans turn up to cheer the national side.
The progress chart of Andy and Grant does throw some light on their style and approach. Andy is the steady type, who likes to grind the opposition, hating to lose his wicket, wanting to be in the thick of the action all the time. Grant, also a grafter, tends to lose patience faster than his elder brother, even though he too has had a significant part to play in the rise of Zimbabwe cricket.
When Bill placed faith in his sons, and dreamt of watching them don Test caps, little did he realise that Andy and Grant would one day direct the course of Zimbabwean cricket. True, Dave Houghton, Alistair Campbell and Heath Streak have worked relentlessly on the field to earn glory for their side, but the Flower brothers have stood out.
Andy and Grant have been a consistent pair, and more often than not give their best when together at the crease. They have always derived pleasure in each other's achievements. Being team-mates it was understandable. But then being brothers it was always a special occasion if both excelled.
Andy did leave Grant behind in the race but it did not matter. At home, both are champions. In Bill's opinion, both rank on the same platform and the race has only created a situation from which there are just gains.
The other day, at the CFX Academy, the Indians were having a light workout under the supervision of coach John Wright. A few yards away, to the tune of a catchy number, the Flower brothers were punishing their body. Grant was strengthening his legs and Andy his shoulders.
Watching Andy perspire that day, and Grant too, one understood what it takes to stay at the top. "A lot of hard work," says Andy. Grant concurs. It was just a way of expressing their devotion, determination, application, and loyalty to the cause of Zimbabwean cricket.
Andy remains the most under-rated cricketer on the international circuit. And Grant the most unsung. Little note is taken of their feats, which normally come against formidable oppositions. It is unfortunate that the Flower brothers have not received their due.
Andy and Grant have aggregated 6720 runs together in Tests and 9956 runs in one-day internationals. A monumental contribution from two individuals who have taken it upon themselves to be the torch-bearers of Zimbabwean cricket. Not the kind of icons we have in India but heroes in their own way.
Andy and Grant have to be hailed as heroes. Batting for a weak team can be such a demanding task. But they have enjoyed it, belting the best bowlers and carving some fantastic victories, both in Tests and one-dayers, adapting to the challenge, and battling as if their life depended on each innings.
In fact it does. To have earned contracts from the Zimbabwe Cricket Union did put them in an elite category but cricket is bread and butter for Andy and Grant. It requires them to be at their best and conquer the bowlers. It is fascinating when they get going and disaster when they fail. The team revolves around them and they know it well.
It takes a lot to carve a place for yourself in any field. The Flower brothers have done it from a background which encouraged cricket activities, but not on a professional basis. They had to attend to their business even on match days. Cricket was very demanding for them. But it was immensely enjoyable too.
Andy and Grant are certainly indispensable and Zimbabwe cricket owes a lot to them. Nine centuries and 26 half centuries embellish Andy's career statistics. Grant has six centuries and 11 half centuries. Statistics may not convey the value of their cricket but it should be mentioned that Grant's maiden century was an unbeaten 201 against Pakistan at Harare six years ago. Andy also crafted a grand double century, an unbeaten 232 against India at Nagpur, which was a glorious testimony to his endurance and physical fitness.
To keep wickets, guide the bowlers, and score runs. Andy must be the busiest man in cricket. He gave up captaincy when he got into problems with the ZCU on the wages issue. A rebel was shackled but it only contributed towards making him more focussed.
Grant has lived in Andy's shadow and enriched Zimbabwean cricket with his disciplined attitude. A gross underachiever, Grant's dark moment in cricket was being called for throwing. However, he is also a brilliant fielder and an inspiration for the current generation of Zimbabwean cricketers.
The 33-year-old Andy and 30-year-old Grant have much more to contribute. For Bill, the dream continues. For Andy and Grant, the future beckons. They have a long way to go. The Flower family stands out for its contribution. It is indeed the royal family of Zimbabwean cricket - Andy, Grant, and Bill, who is now involved in coaching at the grassroot level, even as his sons explore the cricket fields.
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