Why Ervine is a Funky dude!

6:47am Saturday 30th August 2008

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Sean Ervine believes his new bat is the reason for his timely return to form.

The Hampshire left-hander has enjoyed one of the best weeks of his career since signing a new two-year contract last week.

He scored a match-winning 103 not out at Lord's last Sunday and bettered that with yesterday's unbeaten 94 against Durham, the basis of Hampshire's dramatic two-wicket win at Basingstoke.

Ervine insists his new Funky bat, which was crafted at Downton, near Salisbury, is the reason behind his upturn in form.

The 25-year-old laughed: "I used it for the first time last week and it's brilliant, it's very light and the ball pings off.

"I've been hitting the ball as late as I can and it's worked well."

Ervine's innings is his second highest first-class score for Hampshire. He rates it higher than his only Championship ton for the county, against Lancashire at Old Trafford last year.

"With wickets falling at the other end and the win crucial for us, that innings is up there with the best and was all about hard graft,"said the left-hander, who put on 94 for the sixth wicket with Liam Dawson, a Hampshire record for the sixth wicket against Durham.

He continued: "My partnership with Daws was crucial, it was a pity we didn't get a hundred together because he batted brilliantly.

"We didn't look at the scoreboard, we just batted and the runs came.

"It was a slightly better wicket to bat on than it was on Thursday but we still had to get the runs and the ball was nipping around a bit as it did all game."

Full story: see today's Daily Echo.