 |  Playing for Australia in the future is a long, long way away. If it comes one day then so be it |
Young all-rounder Sean Ervine has set himself a long-term goal of playing cricket for Australia after leaving Zimbabwe to start a new life in Perth. Ervine quit his home country after rebelling with 14 white team-mates as the selectors adopted a policy to discriminate in favour of blacks.
Ervine said: "Life as a player has just passed for me in Zimbabwe.
"I've got to start afresh, work myself up the ladder and make sure my spell there was worthwhile."
The youngster is due to meet officials from the Western Australian state team to discuss his possible inclusion in that squad.
Ervine and his girlfriend Melissa Marsh, the daughter of former Australian batsman Geoff Marsh who now coaches Zimbabwe, met immigration agents to discuss citizenship and a permanent move to Perth.
He plans to apply for permanent residency status in Australia either by virtue of his cricketing talent or his de facto relationship with Marsh.
"It was always something which I was going to do in the future, but obviously with the cricket situation back at home it made my decision come a bit quicker," Ervine said.
"Playing for Australia in the future is a long, long way away. If it comes one day then so be it but I've got to make sure I get everything sorted out first and then work my way up."
Ervine jumped the ship at Zimbabwe shortly before being pushed.
"I gave in my retirement letter about three hours before they had an emergency board meeting at which they terminated all our contracts."
Two other members of the rebel group, Charles Coventry and Richard Sims, are currently in England playing club cricket.
Ervine, who is also being watched by English county Hampshire, said several Zimbabwean players had been approached by overseas teams, including Tasmania.
MMIX
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