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Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
ON a special day reserved for the celebration of the country’s heroes, the Zimbabwe cricket team found a hero in Craig Ervine who smashed an unbeaten century as he led the Chevrons’ spirited response on the third day of the Second Test against New Zealand at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.

Ervine describes himself on his Twitter handle as a “professional cricket player and proudly Zimbabwean” and he made his country proud as he powered to his maiden Test century on the flat Queens track as the hosts battled hard to move within 78 runs of the follow-on target in response to the Black Caps’ first innings total of 582-4.

At stumps, Zimbabwe were on 305-6, with Ervine the star of their show after his unbeaten 115 provided the innings that the Chevrons badly needed to give themselves hope of making the Black Caps bat again.

Ervine’s special knock meant that debutant PJ Moor’s superb 71 was overshadowed even though, given that this was his first plunge into the Test arena, his contribution was just as special.

Moor, though, will certainly be disappointed not to have taken his fight into the fourth day after he perished, towards close of play, with a mistimed pull to midwicket bringing his downfall.

But, for someone playing his first match in the Test arena, Moor did more than what many had expected as he added 148 runs for the sixth wicket with Ervine and frustrated the Black Caps’ bowlers on a day that certainly belonged to the hosts.

The hero of the day, of course, was Ervine whose 213-ball knock, in which he hit 15 fours, helped him to his first Test century and attracted a lot of praise from around the world with former Zimbabwe coach, Allan Butcher, among those who took to Twitter to congratulate him.

“Congrats to @Craig­ Ervine77 . . . played Slugger . . . and to @PJMoor10 top knock on debut #ZimvNZ,” the Englishman tweeted.

His teammate, Sikandar Razza, who fell for just three while batting at number three, also took to Twitter to congratulate Ervine.

“Many congratulations to @Craig Ervine77 for his maiden test 100 and to @PJMoor10 for his maiden test 50 on his debut. Well done boys,” Razza said.

What others said on Twitter:

Sean Evans (Craig’s brother)

“@Craig Ervine77, you little ripper!”

Stuart Matsikenyeri (former teammate)

“Take a bow @Craig Ervine77 well played champ!”

Zim Cricket

“Milestone! Maiden Test Century for @Craig Ervine77 off 178 balls, Beautiful knock! #ClassAct #ZIMvNZ.”

Dean Simpson

“Huge congrats @Craig Ervine77 on the ton. Awesome big man.”

David Simpson

“Absolutely class stuff from @Craig Ervine77! Well deserved Sluggo! #enjoy.”

Albert van der Merwe

“Well done @Craig­ Ervine77 on your maiden test ton and @PJMoor10 71 on debut. Delighted for you both.”

Mluleki Nkala (Former Zimbabwe international cricketer)

“@PJMoor10@Craig­­ Ervine77. Well played you two, digging in . . .”

Firdose Moonda (ESPNCricinfo)

“The best day of the series to write about so far. Congratulations @Craig Ervine77. And excellent bowling @BLACKCAPS.”

When the Chevrons took the first Test against New Zealand into a fourth day, thanks to a superb century from Sean Williams, it was viewed as something of an achievement for the hosts and after the superb knocks by Ervine and Moor yesterday, they can now even dream of doing better and taking this battle into a fifth and final day.

Interim coach Makhaya Ntini has already said that his players need to embrace the fact that they can do better than how they played in the first Test and although his team lost six wickets yesterday, he probably enjoyed his sleep as his men, at times, showed the patience and application that is needed at this level of the game.

Scoreboard

New Zealand first innings 582-4 dec (T. Latham 136, R. Taylor 124 not out, K. Williamson 113, S. Williams 1-62)

Zimbabwe first innings:

T. Mawoyo b Southee 26

C. Chibhabha c Williamson b Santner 60

Sikandar Raza c Williamson b Wagner 3

C. Ervine not out 115

P. Masvaure b Santner 2

S. Williams lbw b Sodhi 16

P. Moor c Guptill b Sodhi 71

G. Cremer not out 2

Extras (b8, lb2) 10 Total (for 6 wkts, 120 overs) 305

Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Mawoyo), 2-83 (Sikandar Raza), 3-107 (Chibhabha), 4-115 (Masvaure), 5-147 (Williams), 6-295 (Moor)

Still to bat: Donald Tiripano, John Nyumbu, Mike Chinouya

Bowling: Southee 24-12-64-1, Boult 21-10-37-0, Santner 31-5-102-2, Wagner 25-7-51-1, Sodhi 18-8-41-2, Guptill 1-1-0-0

Toss: New Zealand