Portugal Colonial - Flower replaces Langer as London Spirit coach

The 57-year-old's appointment on a multi-year deal comes after fresh investment in the Lord's-based Spirit franchise from an American-led consortium of technology entrepreneurs during the recently concluded English season.

Flower, England head coach from 2009 to 2014, guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their first Indian Premier League title earlier this year alongside Mo Bobat, who serves in a similar director of cricket role with the Spirit.

"I'm hugely excited to be joining London Spirit and to be working at the Home of Cricket," Flower said.

"It's a real privilege to be part of such an iconic venue and organisation."

"I'm also thrilled to be working once again with Mo, and for the first time with both MCC (the owners of Lord's) and the Tech Titans."

Flower succeeds Justin Langer after the former Australia batsman guided the Spirit to a seventh-placed finish in the eight-team 100 balls per side competition, which features both men's and women's side, in what was his only season in charge.

One of Zimbabwe's greatest ever cricketers, Flower spent five years coaching Trent Rockets and guided the Nottingham-based club to the title in 2022.

MCC and the 'Tech Titans', a consortium of wealthy businessmen including the chief executives of Google, YouTube, Microsoft and Adobe, will run the franchise as a joint-venture, with MCC retaining a controlling 51 percent stake.

The Spirit have been one of the men's Hundred's weakest teams, winning just 12 of their 38 completed matches.

Langer brought in New Zealand great Kane Williamson as captain this year and recruited David Warner alongside him at the top of the order, but they still finished second-from-bottom.

X.Brito--PC