Ervine to undergo knee reconstruction

Sean Ervine, the Hampshire and Western Australia allrounder, will undergo a knee reconstruction next week, making him unavailable for the 2005-06 Australian domestic season.

Ervine, a former Zimbabwe player, injured his left knee while fielding off his own bowling in his final match for Hampshire in the English county championship. Damian McCann, the Western Australia doctor, said that Ervine would have a full knee reconstruction, ruling him out of any cricket for six to nine months.

"It's pretty disappointing after having such a successful season at Hampshire," Ervine was quoted as saying in a media release. "I was looking forward to coming back to Perth and pushing hard for a place in the Warriors side but unfortunately it's not to be. That said, I'm fully committed to working hard throughout my rehabilitation and I'm confident my best cricket is still ahead of me."

Since 1999, when he first ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, Ervine has had several instances of instability in his left knee culminating with the need for its complete reconstruction. The surgery will be performed in Sydney under the supervision of Pat Farhat, the Hampshire and New South Wales physiotherapist.