Craig Ervine: The Perennial Performer For Zimbabwe

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Much like a fascinating real life story that runs in parallel to an event that is afforded a bigger, coveted status in the world, Craig Ervine and his deeds for Zimbabwe have often been succeeded by more popular events. 

With much of the cricket obsessed world gearing up for the much awaited IPL final in the last days of May and then preparing for the build up of the World Test Championship final, Craig Ervine was going about his usual business scoring vital runs for Zimbabwe. 

Even if that meant carving 195 on his own against the Pakistan Shaheens. 

If you were to, for instance, measure the viewership that the unofficial one dayer featuring Zimbabwe against Pakistan generated vis-a-vis any league game of the 2023 IPL, then you’d the numbers it generated were akin to placing a hare in front of a lion.

But that, of course, didn’t mean that the hare wasn’t taking big leaps on the ground. 

Combining power and a touch of timing as only he could, Ervine lifted Zimbabwe to a potentially winning and above par 320 plus run score; yet, his brilliant record breaking knock that bettered the highest individual score created years back by Charles Coventry, would end up on the losing side. 

It wasn’t a moment to savour after all. But what truly was emerged like a surprise gift from underneath several layers of wrapping paper and in the very first game of Zimbabwe’s World Cup qualifier encounter against Nepal. 

Against a handy opponent packed with sheer spin talent, Craig Ervine rocked back and forth on his crease and even danced down the track to medium pace to carve a gritty and widely acclaimed 121. 

During the course of an unbeaten century, which lasted for no fewer than 128 deliveries, Craig Ervine emerged as a diffuser of pressure and the unifier of the quintessential Zimbabwean spirit that seeks respite from the struggles of life in a great game of cricket. 

It’s one thing to absorb pressure whilst hitting runs but something quite other to score winning runs in the end whilst pepping up a strike rate north of 94 in modern day cricket. 

That Sean Williams, the other big run scorer for Zimbabwe, stayed there until the end having hit a hundred of his own was perhaps just as valuable a sight as Ervine’s run-making. 

But it’s just one game; Zimbabwe need more valiance, more valuable contributions from a cricketer who continues to score runs seldom ruing the fact that he eschews headlines all the while he’s at the job. 

In an era where we can’t stop discussing an MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli even on days where neither is even playing, in an age where countless tweets and reactions flow in the direction of Steve Smith just leaving the cricket ball, do you think we are all guilty of not speaking enough about an Ervine, a Raza or Williams? 

But whether or not greater highlight flows his deeds’ way, it can be said for certain that Craig Ervine will consider that his job isn’t done yet; it has actually only just begun. 

Even as he’s staring at the potential end of an international career, since at 37 he’s not getting any younger, Ervine will consider it job well done should his batting heroics guide his team to that slot in the 2023 ODI World Cup. 

For truth is while the world can wax lyrical all day about the grater among the Fab Four batters in the world, Ervine is one of the three pillars of Zimbabwean cricket; the other two being Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams. 

Cricket pretty much being in his blood, literally speaking, considering his brother and father both represented the sport at a high pedigree, the passion to excel as a batter is but a way of life for the elegant left hander. 

Not someone who could be seen offering fashionable reactions to modern day bowlers, Craig Ervine’s batting is less about a high degree of dependence on switch hits and ramp shots and more about survival despite pressure and the thriving. 

He’s more focus and concentration than a rash shot fostered by the desire of doing something ruthless to the bowler. 

In all these years, and did one even notice, it’s been over a decade, Ervine has made a reputation of scoring the bulk of the runs especially amid pressure. 

He’s been around for 111 ODIs. The tally could most certainly bulge if he doesn’t put a foot wrong in what lays ahead and what does, as a matter of fact, are big games against the West Indies and The Netherlands and the like. 

And maybe many more if the World Cup qualification beckons. 

But it all happens here; right here, right now, one day at a time for the graceful Zimbabwean.