Grant Flower appointed as Pakistan batting coach

Former Zimbabwe test batsman Grant Flower has been appointed as Pakistan's batting coach. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the move on Thursday.

Flower served as Zimbabwe's batting coach from 2010-13, after playing 67 tests and 221 one-day internationals.

Flower applied for the same post last year, but missed out.

His two-year contract begins from Aug. 1, just before Pakistan travels to Sri Lanka for a series.

He will be an assistant to Waqar Younis, and work alongside Mushtaq Ahmed, the spin bowling consultant.

Meanwhile, Australia opener David Warner will sit out a triangular one-day international tournament in Zimbabwe in August and September to remain with his partner as she prepares to have their first child.

The 27-year-old has received the backing of coach Darren Lehmann to miss the two ODIs against both South Africa and Zimbabwe as well as a potential tournament final.

"With the World Cup coming up next year and the fact that it's an ODI tri-series in Zimbabwe, I would normally immediately put my hand up for selection," Warner wrote in a blog on Cricket Australia's website.

"But that's what happens in life - you settle down, you get married and you have children.

"Since Darren Lehmann came on board as coach he's told us all that family comes first, and that's a big thing because we're on the road for a long time."

The explosive batsman, who is averaging 46.54 in tests and 31.39 in ODIs, is expected to return for the test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in October.