Thaindian News

London, Aug 15 (IANS) After conquering the No.1 spot in Test cricket, England coach Andy Flower has said the team’s next target would be qualification for the new World Test Championship, which England are expected to host in 2013.

“We’ve also got the World Test Championship for the first time in 2013 and that’s in our own country. That is certainly something we are striving for - we have to be in the top four to get into the semi-finals of it and we are going to be working hard between now and then to ensure we are a strong unit ready for that semi-final,” Flower was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to finalise a date and venue for the maiden World Test Championship due to a possible clash with the 2013 Champions Trophy. But ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has said that the Test championships will be held in 2013.

But England have a heavy schedule, including the 2103 Ashes, ahead of the championship which is likely to be played in June.

Flower said that it will be tough for England to hold on to what they have and now they have to use their No.1 status as a motivational factor to surge ahead.

“I always think it is very dangerous to try to hold on to what you have got. We used that goal - to be No.1 - as a motivational tool … that drove us in training and in matches. Now that we have achieved that, what Strauss and I don’t want to do is hang on to No.1 status. That’s not a very exciting way to go about our business. We are going to have to reset our goals.

“This winter we go to play against two countries that the last time England toured those countries, we lost. We want to go away and play Pakistan and Sri Lanka away from home and win those series. Ignoring the ranking, those series will have their own importance,” he said.

Asked if England could dominate world cricket like West Indies and Australia, Flower said: “That isn’t a very clear target as yet. I like goals to be fairly specific. I don’t think we can compare ourselves to those sides, to be quite honest. They dominated world cricket for lengthy periods. We have been playing well for a little while now but only for a short time in cricketing history terms. Who knows what the future holds though? That is going to be up to us.”