County Championship: Ervine gives Hampshire positive start

Ervine has played five Test matches for Zimbabwe hitting a high score of 86

An unbeaten 75 from Sean Ervine put Hampshire in control against Kent on day one at Canterbury.

With both sides chasing promotion, the visitors opted to bat and Michael Carberry (39), Jimmy Adams (30) and Will Smith (56) all made starts.

Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Claydon both returned figures of 2-62 from 21 overs to keep Kent in the hunt.

However, a 124-run seventh-wicket partnership between Ervine and Chris Wood (61) saw Hampshire close on 343-7.

Zimbabwean Ervine, who has reached his half-century three times this season in first-class cricket but has yet to convert one into three figures, hit nine fours in his unbeaten knock.

Sam Billings took four catches behind the stumps, while promising off-spinner Adam Riley had Carberry and Smith lbw to take his seasonal tally to 35 wickets.