Ervine biding his time over possible Zim return

[maehara]

http://www.cricket365.com/news/story/61 ... Zim-return

With close to 600 runs from seven games in the First Division of County cricket this season Sean Ervine is undoubtedly Zimbabwe's best player, but the country of his birth will have to wait a while longer before they can secure his services.

Ervine enjoyed a promising start to international cricket, and scored half-centuries in his last three Test innings before being swept up in the contract dispute between the rebel players and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

He went on to play in Australia before moving to Hampshire, where he has evolved into one of their top performers. This season he leads the batting averages, and recently achieved his highest first-class score when he hit an unbeaten 237 against Somerset.

Such batting ability is desperately needed if Zimbabwe are to return to Test cricket, and Alan Butcher confirmed to Cricket365 last week that he had put feelers out to the likes of Ervine and fast bowler Anthony Ireland, who last played for Zimbabwe at the 2007 World Cup and has been in good form for Gloucestershire this season.

Ervine recently played for the Southern Rocks in Zimbabwe's domestic four-day and Twenty20 competitions as preparation for the County season, but Butcher is realistic about the chances of luring players like him back into the national setup, even with cricket in the country now on the up.

"I understand that for those players it would be a tough decision to make because they would have to give up their right to play in England," Butcher said. "That's going to be a big decision for someone to make on the strength of one franchise season and the possibility of Zimbabwe cricket moving forward.

"So I think they'll probably take a slightly longer view, have a look at it over a period of time and see if things are still positive and then if they are well then they may be in a better position to say that's a move I'm willing to make."

27-year-old Ervine holds an Irish passport, but would have to register as an overseas player were he to turn out in Zimbabwe colours again. He therefore admits that Hampshire is likely to come first when he makes such a decision.

"There were talks of me going back (to Zimbabwe) and playing but at the moment I'm just going to see what my Hampshire contract has to offer," he told Cricket365. "Hampshire are going to talk to me at the end of the year and then we'll take it from there.

"They've been really good to me, it's been a successful period and I probably have another five or six years to come, so that's something I have to take into account. It's a decision I've got to make but we'll cross that bridge when it happens."

While the allrounder was impressed by what he saw during his stint with the Southern Rocks, he's also wary that the resurgence could prove a false dawn.

"It all looks very promising at the moment and they seem to be getting some sort of ability among the coaching roles and the team selection. All of that sort of stuff doesn't seem to be as much of a hassle as it was four or five years ago," he said.

"But it's pretty similar to the country itself in that nothing is really guaranteed. You don't know for certain that you'll get paid on time or that every promise is genuine. At the end of the day you might have to just take their word for it and then go from there."

As things progress back home, where his parents still live, Ervine can count on being kept informed. Younger brother Craig has recently broken into the national side and played in the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean before marking his one-day debut with a half-century in a shock win over India last week.

The two brothers enjoyed a 178-run stand for the Southern Rocks earlier this year, giving Sean an opportunity to witness Craig's development first hand, but he still hasn't quite got his head around Craig's latest achievements.

"It's been great and weird to watch him on television for the first time," admits Sean. "He's done extremely well considering he's just been whacked into the team to do a job. I'm sure I'll get a phone call at some point about the Indian and Sri Lankan spinners and how they bowl."

[jamthala]

if he back than zim become more strong.

[ZIMDOGGY]

translation:

i probably wont come back, moneys good in england, but ill come back if im dumped or can get an overseas contract.

[aydee]

translation:

i probably wont come back, moneys good in england, but ill come back if im dumped or can get an overseas contract.

Pretty much...

[sloandog]

translation:

i probably wont come back, moneys good in england, but ill come back if im dumped or can get an overseas contract.

Pretty much...

Ya like ya say DOGGY, that's basically what he's saying. I've said before on this forum that he won't come back if he scores consistently for Hampshire. He'll get an extension to his contract and will stay in England for a possible 3 years. We need to move on from Sean Ervine and focus on the talent within the country.......but It'd be great if he changes his mind

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

We need to move on from Sean Ervine and focus on the talent within the country.......but It'd be great if he changes his mind

Agree...these are exciting times for ZC and we should give credit to the guys who are in the middle and waiting in the wings.

[sloandog]

We need to move on from Sean Ervine and focus on the talent within the country.......but It'd be great if he changes his mind

Agree...these are exciting times for ZC and we should give credit to the guys who are in the middle and waiting in the wings.

Ya you're right. I mean look at the talent we can pick from now. We've now got a good blend of black and white cricketers, both with just as much talent. Guys like Malcolm Waller, Craig Ervine, Foster Mutizwa, Timcen Maruma Keegan Meth etc have huge potential. We jut can't keep relying on guys like Sean Ervine. I mean all credit must go to him, he's scored consistently for his county, and though I'll be glad to see his face back in our side, from his point of view It'll be the end of a very successful era.
What I'm basically saying is that if he comes back, great ! Another class act in our ever improving unit.
If he doesn't come back, time to move on and focus on the youngsters biding their time

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

We need to move on from Sean Ervine and focus on the talent within the country.......but It'd be great if he changes his mind

Agree...these are exciting times for ZC and we should give credit to the guys who are in the middle and waiting in the wings.

Ya you're right. I mean look at the talent we can pick from now. We've now got a good blend of black and white cricketers, both with just as much talent. Guys like Malcolm Waller, Craig Ervine, Foster Mutizwa, Timcen Maruma Keegan Meth etc have huge potential. We jut can't keep relying on guys like Sean Ervine. I mean all credit must go to him, he's scored consistently for his county, and though I'll be glad to see his face back in our side, from his point of view It'll be the end of a very successful era.
What I'm basically saying is that if he comes back, great ! Another class act in our ever improving unit.
If he doesn't come back, time to move on and focus on the youngsters biding their time

u forget one. the impressive lad accompanying Houghton and few pretty faces...our future pace hope-Kyle.

[Mike]

He'll come back as soon as we get test cricket

Can't his brother say something to him !!!

[eugene]

Maybe if we return to test cricket and play countries other than Kenya and Bangladesh regularly he will come back. At the moment county cricket is probably more fulfilling than representing Zimbabwe and playing Kenya 25 times a year.