The Post
21st February 2009
By Simon Walter
The new power-sharing government in Zimbabwe wants Hampshire batsman Sean Ervine to represent his country again.
Ervine was one of the rebels that fell out with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union in 2004.
It is now five years since he left Zimbabwe, refusing to play for his country again after five Tests and 42 one-day internationals.
The 26-year-old plans to qualify for England but that process has been delayed as he did not fulfil the necessary residential criteria when he was first splitting his time between Western Australia and Southampton in 2005.
David Coltart, Zimbabwe’s new Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, has made it clear he wants Ervine playing for his country again.
“We have far too many talented players outside Zimbabwe that are not playing for the national team,†said Coltart.
“When I look at Sean Ervine’s average at Hampshire I say to myself ‘here is a guy who should be playing for us’.
“We need guys like that back. And we need someone like [England assistant coach] Andy Flower to come back and coach our national team.â€