da 888： Sean Ervine played argubly his most valuable innings for Hampshire when the support of last man David Balcombe enabled him to reach an unbeaten century on a green pitch against Glamorgan at West End.
Ivo Tennant23-May-2012
ScorecardSean Ervine played one of his most invaluable innings for Hampshire with an unbeaten hundred on a West End greentop•PA Photos
A little over a year ago, Sean Ervine thought hard about giving upcounty cricket to concentrate on playing for his native Zimbabwe inwhatever form of the game he could still participate. There was,though, something about the lure of Hampshire cricket – as well as the lure of becoming anEnglishman – that led him to stay put. It is just as well for Hampshire’ssake that he did, for his innings against Glamorgan was perhaps themost valuable he has played.On a green pitch which was indistinguishable from the rest of thesquare at the start of play, Hampshire, asked to bat, slumped to 97for 5 and then 204 for 8t. Ervine was dropped without scoring byMark Wallace, a low, difficult chance, and then on 76, a quitecatchable opportunity at long on. He relied on eye, instinct and goodtiming in making an unbeaten 109, his first century of the season.Ervine was also reliant on support from David Balcombe, who is too good to be goingin last. Together they put on 85 from 86 balls for the last wicket:entertaining hitting against an attack shorn of its three best seamersand which, until then, had performed perfectly respectably. Ratherthan defend in textbook manner and sooner or later be beaten by theconditions as much as the bowling, this pair simply looked to hit theball – hard.So a total of 316 could well be a pretty useful one. For this does notlook to be a four-day pitch. John Glover took the new ball forGlamorgan and moved it sufficiently off the seam to have Liam Dawsonleg before and Michael Carberry and James Vince taken by Mark Wallace.Simon Katich was his customary adhesive self, compiling 36 beforeplaying slightly across the line at Will Owen as if batting on theharder pitches of his homeland down under.Jimmy Adams and Michael Bates, by contrast, played straight andwatchfully. Or at least they did until the former played on to Owenand the wicketkeeper, who was in form and was driving particularlywell, was bowled by Jim Allenby. When Owen removed Chris Wood andKabir Ali with successive balls, Hampshire were 204 for 8. Onlythere was still Balcombe to come.His highest previous championship score was just 30, but he can bat.Or he looks as if he can bat. Ervine reached his century with a six overlong on off Allenby, having made his previous best score this season,75, against Glamorgan. His clean hitting emphasised why RodBransgrove, the Hampshire chairman, believes him to be a good enoughcricketer to represent England, as he has just become qualified to do.Had James Harris, Huw Waters and Graham Wagg been playing, thelikelihood is that Hampshire would not have reached 300. Even so,Wallace had little option but to bowl first when he inspected thepitch. Until the umpires appeared to have their own examination, andwhile the groundstaff were in their hutch at square leg, it really wasimpossible to tell where the match would take place. Still, this madefor an interesting day. And there is pace in the pitch.Glamorgan’s openers, the cerebral Gareth Rees, and Nick James, whoreplaced Stewart Walters, survived the seven overs they had to face ona sultry evening. Their side has mustered just one batting bonus pointthus far this season, an embarrassing statistic which provides justthe incentive they need to make some runs now.