HAMPSHIRE have targeted Zimbabwean Sean Ervine for next season - and the all-rounder may qualify as a non-overseas player.

Ervine is one of the 15 rebel Zimbabwe players in dispute with the Zimbabwe cricket Union and retired from international cricket on Saturday, aged just 21.

He is currently based in Perth and Hampshire director of cricket Tim Tremlett has admitted that the county are interested in bringing him to the Rose Bowl next year as Shane Warne, and possibly Michael Clarke, will be in Australia's Ashes squad.

Tremlett said: "We're interested in him and have spoken to him before as he's a player that we were looking to bring in as a possible replacement for this season. That wasn't possible this year because various dates didn't fit in with our plans but he knows Paul Terry through being based in Perth."

Ervine played just five Tests for Zimbabwe, scoring 261 runs at an average of 32.66

His last three Test innings were all half-centuries - 53 against Australia, and 86 and 74 against Bangladesh.

He also played 42 one-day internationals, scoring 698 runs at 25.85, and taking 41 wickets with his right-arm medium pace.

Arguably his best moment in international cricket came in the VB Series against India last season, when he struck a superb 100.

Ervine could even qualify for Hampshire as a non overseas player as a result of the Kolpak ruling that has allowed Claude Henderson, a South African without an EU passport, sign for Leicestershire because of his country's trading agreement with the EU.

Tremlett added: "I think he has a grandparent from Ireland but he would still have to be given special dispensation by the ECB to qualify as a non-overseas player."

l Will Kendall reckons his side fell 60 runs short of a competitive total as Hampshire lost their first game of the season against Lancashire Lightning at Old Trafford yesterday.

Stand-in captain Kendall led Hampshire to the county's most impressive win of the season against Yorkshire on Friday.

But that 119-run county championship success was quickly forgotten as Lancashire, who were also promoted from the National League'ssecond division last season, emphatically won by seven wickets.

Kendall said: "We didn't bat particularly well, we were more than 50 runs short on a good wicket, probably the best we've played on all year, and we set off on the wrong note with the ball.

"We bowled too many half volleys and the game was away from us before we'd had chance to catch breath."

The loss of four wickets in 12 balls, beginning with Michael Clarke's dismissal to the penultimate ball of the 37th over, was crucial in preventing Hampshire from reaching 200.

Kendall added: "We were looking at about 220 at that stage and those four quick wickets meant we missed out on that, they really set us back and in the end Dimi did well to get us as far as we did - but in hindsight we really needed 240-250.

"They bowled extremely well, they hit the deck hard and managed to get out of the pitch what little there was and made it hard for the guys.

"Only Skeg (Nic Pothas) and Clarkey really got going, although Shane Watson did well, but we were always a little bit where we wanted to be."