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Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has said that he was never consulted by the selection committee over the team composition for the England tour

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2010Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has said that he was not consulted by the selection committee over the team composition for various tours, including the tour to England earlier this year and the World Twenty20.”This is not for the first time that this has happened,” Waqar told the national assembly’s standing committee on sports, according to a report in . “I was totally snubbed during the selection of the Twenty20 World Cup team.”It also emerged on Tuesday that neither Waqar nor limited overs captain Shahid Afridi were consulted in the selection of the squad for the Twenty20 and ODI series against South Africa later this month.However, chief selector Mohsin Khan told the committee that Waqar was not in Pakistan at the time. “I am following the best practice. When the team for the England tour was announced, the coach was not even in Pakistan.”The inclusion of Yasir Hameed and Wahab Riaz, and the overlooking of former captain Younis Khan and Mohammad Sami for the England tour was said to have irked some of the selectors themselves, who were thought to have been against the decisions, and were apparently not consulted.The committee also took up on Younis’ continued omission from the team, asking the PCB to decide on the issue in a week. “We will direct Younis to contact the PCB and the board should resolve the matters relating to him within a week,” legislator Saud Majeed said. Younis is the only one among the seven players punished by the board after the Australia tour whose case is still stalled. Five of those seven players were selected to tour England, but Younis wasn’t among them.Pakistan had a positive start to the England tour, beating Australia in the two Twenty20 internationals, and then levelling the two-Test series with a victory at Headingley, Pakistan’s first Test win over Australia in nearly 15 years.However, they lost the first two Tests against England before winning the third. During their defeat at Lord’s in the final Test, the series was hit by spot-fixing allegations against the then captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif. They were provisionally suspended by the ICC before the Twenty20 series. Pakistan lost both Twenty20s and the subsequent one-day series 3-2.The committee has also asked the board to submit a report on the scandal and the tour itself.

A major update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans for left-back Jamal Lewis…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope claimed on deadline day that the Northern Ireland international has been omitted from the club’s list of players heading into the second-half of the campaign.

He Tweeted: “Also understand Ciaran Clark & Jamal Lewis have turned down moves away from NUFC despite not being in the 25-man squad to be submitted to Premier League.”

D-Day clanger

Whilst fans may want to focus on transfers the club missed out on, such as the deal for Hugo Ekitike collapsing, this decision on Lewis’ future represents a huge clanger from Eddie Howe.

Forget missing out on the French striker for now, the call to brutally axe the former Norwich defender from the squad appears to be a baffling one on paper.

Howe has seemingly decided to pick Matt Ritchie, 32, among others, ahead of him in the 25-man list. The 24-year-old is still a prospect and could have benefitted from battling with Matt Targett for the left-back spot over the next few months.

Meanwhile, Ritchie is well into his 30’s and has been poor this season. He has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.43 across 16 Premier League appearances, showing that he has been far from good enough over an extended period of time.

Lewis, on the other hand, showed signs of promise prior to picking up an injury in December. In the 1-0 win over Burnley, he was given a WhoScored rating of 7.00 as he made four tackles, four clearances, one interception and one block.

Ex-England striker Darren Bent previously lauded the £50k-per-week flyer’s talents, saying: “Jamal Lewis, when you think about it, defensively I think he’s a little bit better than Max Aarons. I think going forward and defensively he’s very good, and underrated as well.

“I’m telling you, if he keeps progressing at Newcastle, he might be a dark horse. He could turn out to be one of the best left-backs in the country this season.”

This highlights the player’s potential and why Howe has dropped a clanger by refusing to include him in his squad for the rest of the campaign. He is a young talent with potential and he is now set to waste away on the sidelines until the summer.

Lewis will be forced to play for the U23’s or simply work hard in training for the next five months, unless he is able to secure a move to a country where the transfer window remains open. For example, the Turkish market does not slam shut for another week and it could be an avenue worth exploring for the full-back instead of stunting his development with no competitive football for months.

AND in other news, “I heard a slight whisper”: Downie drops big NUFC claim on live TV, Howe surely gutted…

Leeds United have rejected a bid for star winger Raphinha, according to ExWHUemployee.

The Lowdown: Raphinha stars for Leeds

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have struggled to repeat last season’s efforts but Raphinha has undoubtedly been one of the few positives throughout the season.

The Brazilian has scored eight goals and registered two assists in 19 Premier League appearances, standing out as his side’s most important player with an average match rating of 7.23/10 – no other Leeds player is above 6.83/10.

It could be that Raphinha moves on this summer, as there may be a queue of Champions League clubs lining up for a move – Chelsea are apparently big fans of the player.

However, a key update has emerged regarding the chances of a shock January exit.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Latest: West Ham bid rejected

According to West Ham insider ExWHUemployee [via West Ham Zone], the Hammers have seen a bid for the 25-year-old turned down after agents spoke to the club.

“I can confirm that reports that we did make an offer for Raphinha of Leeds United are correct,” he said.

“Our top transfer source has confirmed (backed up by another – our 2 source policy) that an offer went in after agents contacted the club.

“The offer however was swiftly rejected and West Ham were told that Leeds are not prepared to sell at any price this window.”

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The Verdict: Would be crazy

While it may be inevitable that Raphinha eventually moves on to pastures new, such is his quality, the idea of selling him in January doesn’t bear thinking about.

The winger will be vital in ensuring Leeds pull away from the relegation fight – journalist Phil Hay has described him as ‘incredible’ in the past – especially in the absence of other key man like Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford.

Losing him now would have given Leeds no time to find a replacement – should it happen in the summer, they would surely receive a huge sum and have plenty of time to scour the market in order to reinvest in the squad.

In other news, Leeds have been boosted in their attempts to sign a Premier League player. Find out who it is here.

Thursday was a day for drum beats and celebrations at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata

Anand Vasu15-Mar-2001Thursday was a day for drum beats and celebrations at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India beat Australia by 171 runs in one of most thrilling Test matches of all times and levelled the three-match series with one game to play. At the end of the second day, India were down and out, able to make just 171 in their first innings. In a knock of 281, described by Steve Waugh as “some of the best batting I have ever seen”, VVS Laxman galvanised the Indians.It has been long since an Indian has taken the attack to the opposition in such strident fashion. Laxman stood up and delivered the goods when it was most needed – the hallmark of a true champion surely. But wait, let us not forget Rahul Dravid, who shared a 376-run partnership with Laxman on the way to making a belligerent 180. Let us not also discount Steve Waugh’s magnificent hundred – his first on Indian soil. And then there is Harbhajan Singh, who with match figures of 13/196, including a hat-trick, would have been the man of the match on almost any other day. Then again, this historic win, after being asked to follow on, would never have been possible if not for Laxman.Looking for that elusive triple hundred Laxman perished early in themorning, slashing hard at a short and wide ball from Glenn McGrath to be caught by Ricky Ponting in the gully region. Laxman’s 281 came in over 10 and a half hours. When the Hyderabadi was dismissed, the roar that went up showed how much his innings meant to the crowd at the Eden Gardens. If this were the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad, his home town, the cheers wouldn’t have been louder or the ovation more heartfelt. Unfortunately for Laxman, he did not add to his tally of 44 boundaries. When the fifth wicket partnership finally broke, the Dravid-Laxman pair had added a mammoth 376.Dravid then moved on to 180 (444 mins, 353 balls, 21 fours) before being run out in a bid to push the scoring rate. By then, however, Dravid’s dismissal was inconsequential with India leading by a huge margin. Dravid’s innings too was an important one, coming at a time when the middle order bat had lost his number three slot. Signalling the end of a lean patch, Dravid came to India’s rescue. Zaheer Khan (23 not out) used the long handle to good effect and India declared their innings closed on 657/7, equalling the second highest ever second innings total in Test cricket. The highest, 671/4 declared, made by the Kiwis at home against the touring Lankans was a bit too far away to go for. The other time the same score was made, was by Pakistan against the West Indies at Bridgetown in 1957-58, albeit for the loss of one more wicket.Set a tough target of 384 off 75 overs, the Australians went about their task most methodically. Matthew Hayden and Michael Slater combined well to blunt the early efforts of the Indians. However, as is often the case on a fifth day wicket, it wasn’t to last forever. Slater (43) was undone by a Harbhajan Singh off break – he was the first, but certainly not the last to perish in that manner.Mark Waugh, whose dream was a double hundred on Indian soil, disappointed once more. The elegant middle order batsman was trapped plumb in front by an arm ball from left arm spinner Venkatapathi Raju before he could get off the mark. With Justin Langer having left earlier, the Australians were 116/3 and the Indians began to sense a window of opportunity.The safest batsman in the world in these kinds of situation, Steve Waugh, joined Hayden out in the middle. Stroking the ball well around the park, the pair added 50 for the fourth wicket. Then the procession began. Let off by Ganguly just before the tea interval, Steve Waugh repeated his mistake, turning the ball around the corner. The second time around however, the man at backward short leg was the agile Hemang Badani. Moving to his natural side, the left, Badani snapped up a smart catch, sending the Australian captain on his way. Steve Waugh’s 24 helped boost Australian hopes, but did not do enough for the team total.As expected, the fall of the captain’s wicket boosted the Indian morale no end. For its part, the crowd too began to get squarely behind the Indian team. With the score on 166, Ricky Ponting followed his captain back to the pavilion. Attempting an awkward sweep shot, Ponting presented Das with a simple catch at forward short leg. From 166/3 Australia slumped to 174/8, losing five wickets in a 32-ball period that yielded just eight runs.Adam Gilchrist, having won all 15 Test matches he has played, was brought down to earth in his sixteenth. Trapped leg before wicket by Tendulkar off the very first ball he faced, the Aussie stumper bagged a ‘King’s pair’. Matthew Hayden (67 runs, 199 mins, 119 balls, 6 fours) played all over a Tendulkar full toss and was adjudged lbw. Tendulkar was not done yet. Bowling a perfectly pitched googly the Indian batting maestro had Shane Warne trapped plumb in front.In deep trouble, with an almost full-strength crowd lusting for an Indian victory, the Australian fast bowlers attempted to resist the Indian spinners. For a time they did. Not nearly long enough though. When Glenn McGrath shouldered arms to Harbhajan Singh and umpire SK Bansal’s finger went up for the fifth time in the day, it was all over. Scuttling Australia for 212, India had won by 171 runs. For the third time in the history of the game a team had won after being asked to follow on. Surprisingly enough, Australia has been at the losing end of all those matches. The first instance was way back in 1894-95 when Australia unsuccessfully enforced the follow on against the touring England side at Sydney. The second time was in Headingley in 1981 with England being let off the hook. Today, India got its name on that elite list.There was a mad rush for souvenir stumps out in the middle. In the stands the bedlam was much more frenzied. Every placard, poster and piece of paper was on fire. The scenes today could have only been bettered in the bull-rings of old, where gladiators fought each other to death. There was no death here at the Eden Gardens. But those fortunate enough to be present witnessed several rebirths. Harbhajan Singh with 13/196 and a hat-trick has cemented his place in the side. Vangipurappu Venkat Sai Laxman with 281, the highest Test score by an Indian, has made the number three slot his own. Rahul Dravid with 180 has rediscovered form that gave him the nickname “The Wall”.Most importantly, Indian cricket has once more found the will to beat the best side in the world and stamp its authority on world cricket.

Yorkshire notched their third consecutive Friends Provident t20 victory by toppling North Group table-toppers Nottinghamshire by seven wickets

24-Jun-2010
ScorecardYorkshire notched their third consecutive Friends Provident t20 victory by toppling North Group table-toppers Nottinghamshire by seven wickets in a fine all-round performance at Headingley.Chasing a 159 target, Yorkshire got there at a canter with 10 balls to spare, Man of the Match Anthony McGrath (38) and Gerard Brophy (31) enjoying an unbroken stand of 61 together. McGrath had earlier picked up a wicket in four accurate overs and also held a catch.Yorkshire showed they meant business from the start of their innings as skipper Andrew Gale slammed the first two deliveries from Darren Pattinson to the boundary and in the same over Adam Lyth cleared the rope over midwicket before striking a four.After Gale had been bowled by Dirk Nannes at 23 in only the second over, Lyth and Herschelle Gibbs put Yorkshire in charge with a 53 stand before Gibbs drove Samit Patel gently to David Hussey at cover.However, Lyth remained in control until he was out for 43 from 33 balls with three fours and a six – hitting spinner Graeme White’s first ball to Alex Hales on the midwicket boundary. Yorkshire continued to play it cool, however, and Brophy boosted the scoring even further with three early boundaries in one over from Paul Franks.Although Nottinghamshire lost a couple of early wickets after winning the toss, they were still able to make rapid progress through a third-wicket stand of 70 in eight overs between Hales and Patel before Yorkshire managed to apply the brake again as only 60 runs came off the last nine overs.Steve Patterson continued his recent habit of taking a wicket with his first ball as Alistair Brown fell to a well-judged catch behind the bowler by McGrath in the second over and after Hales had hit a couple of sixes it became 32 for 2 when Matt Wood off-drove Patterson to Gale.Both Patel and Hales benefited from dropped catches off hard hits before settling in together but the run spree was ended at 102 with the dismissal of Patel for 41 off 24 balls with five fours and a six, the batsman getting a thick edge off the accurate Richard Pyrah to McGrath.An airborne catch by Lyth at long-off brought McGrath the valuable wicket of Hussey but an even more astounding effort by Richard Pyrah in the same fielding spot at the other end got rid of the dangerous Hales for 62 from 43 deliveries with four fours and three sixes, Pyrah leaping to take the catch one-handed in a successful bid to stay inside the rope.With Yorkshire keeping it tight in the closing overs, particularly Pyrah who conceded only 17 runs, Nottinghamshire lost their momentum and they will have been disappointed with their final effort.

Craig Hope has now dropped an insider claim on reported Newcastle United transfer target Lloyd Kelly.

The Lowdown: Kelly targeted

It has already been widely reported that the St. James’ Park faithful are interested in a move for Kelly in the January transfer window.

With Kieran Trippier being officially announced by the club on Friday morning, it now looks as if the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium will concentrate on strengthening their defence further, given their poor defensive record in the Premier League so far this season.

The reliable Mark Douglas has confirmed the Magpies want a centre-back and a striker after the capture of Trippier.

The Latest: Kelly latest

As per The Daily Mail’s Hope, it ‘sounds like’ it could now be ‘difficult’ for the North East club to do a deal for Kelly this month, as Bournemouth are reluctant to sell him while they are going for promotion.

Eddie Howe ‘likes’ the player, but it looks like he may now have to look elsewhere for other targets.

The Verdict: Shame

It would certainly be a shame if the Tyneside outfit miss out on signing Kelly.

Of course, he is a player that Howe knows well, having signed him for the Cherries while he was the manager there, and he then went on to play nine games under him in an injury-hit campaign.

Nonetheless, Howe would know how to get the best out of him, and his ability to play anywhere across the backline would have been a real asset to have, adding depth in multiple positions.

However, it looks like the new owners will now have to look at other targets in what promises to be a very busy next few weeks ahead.

In other news, find out who is now on NUFC’s ‘radar’ here!

Transfers expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed the latest information regarding Wolverhampton Wanderers’ pursuit of signing young Portuguese forward Chiquinho.

What’s the story?

According to Romano, Wolves are close to making the 21-year-old winger their second signing of the January transfer window.

The transfers expert tweeted: “Wolves are closing on Chiquinho deal with Estoril, final details to be completed next week. Portuguese striker’s set to join on a permanent move for €3.5m fee plus €1.5m add ons.”

Valued at £900k by Transfermarkt, is set to depart Primeira Liga side Estoril, who are flying in the Portuguese top-flight this campaign as they currently sit sixth, and join up with his fellow countryman Bruno Lage at Molineux.

The Portuguese youngster has scored four goals and provided six assists in 18 appearances across all competitions in what has been his breakthrough campaign in top-flight football after Estoril were promoted last season.

According to The Athletic, the 21-year-old is set to be part of Wolves’ first-team group. Moreover, the West Midlands club have done business with Estoril before, signing defender Toti Gomes from the Portuguese outfit in September 2020 who was handed a shock debut on Saturday in the 3-1 win over Southampton.

Wolves fans will be buzzing

Although not a household name, Chiquinho offers a great deal of potential and, for a small fee in today’s market, the deal appears low risk, something that will no doubt delight supporters.

Wolves have become a hub for Portuguese talent with the likes of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Jose Sa and Nelson Semedo some of the names who hail from Portugal that have been lured to Molineux in recent years as well as former manager Nuno Espirito Santo and current boss Bruno Lage.

The 21-year-old mainly operates as a left-winger but is flexible and can also play on the right-hand side of a front-three, ideal for Wolves who tend to operate with a 3-4-3 setup.

Compared to the other wingers in Lage’s squad, Chiquinho would boast the most league goals so far this season, although the Premier League is a significant step up from the Portuguese top-flight. Currently, Adama Traore is the only wide man to have netted in the league this campaign.

There have been murmurs of the Spaniard departing Molineux in the near future and therefore the Portugal U21 international could prove to be a long-term replacement.

Moreover, Lage is yet to welcome back the injured Pedro Neto, who has been out since April with a serious knee injury.

He may be an unknown name, however, the stats back up the suggestion that Chiquinho could be an exciting prospect for Wolves. Seeing a Portuguese talent excel at Molineux isn’t unheard of.

In other news – £33k-p/w Wolves gem, who created two big chances, stars in victory over Southampton

West Bromwich Albion had a game to forget today against Cardiff City at the Hawthorns, with an explosive ending to the clash when the final whistle prompted chaos from the bench, as Valerien Ismael ran onto the pitch to criticise a decision made on a penalty shout in the last moments.

Ismael’s furious reaction to the referee’s decision not to give a penalty in favour of the home side, ensued chaos on the pitch as both West Brom and Cardiff City players engaged in a brawl, that saw Sam Johnstone and Aden Flint receive red cards.

Newly returned Alex Mowatt was handed a straight red card earlier in the encounter after a challenge on Will Vaulks that put Albion down to ten men in the 76th minute, but the side were able to hold Cardiff City to a 1-1 draw, thanks to an early second half goal from Callum Robinson.

One player who had a shocking performance for the Baggies was 18-year-old, Tom Fellows, who failed to make a positive impact on the team during his time in his attacking position today.

According to SofaScore, Fellows lost 75% of his duels and only touched the ball 15 times during his entire 65 minutes on the pitch which was almost five times less than his attacking partner Karlan Grant.

The young forward would have been attempting to emulate the fantastic impression his fellow youth academy starter Taylor Gardner-Hickman has had during his opportunities in the first team.

However, Fellows failed to get going in the game and failed to cause any kind of attacking threat with 0 shots on or off target, and 0 key passes, clearly failing to impress the manager who took him off the pitch 20 minutes into the second half.

The Baggies have now failed to register a win in their last three games, and are losing traction on their grasp for a promotion spot as they miss yet another opportunity to close the gap with Blackburn Rovers, Fulham and Bournemouth, with Fulham in particular still holding two games in hand after having their fixtures postponed.

Ismael will now be without his goalkeeper and a midfielder for three games thanks to their red cards and will need to take a closer look at the problems this West Brom side seem to be having this season, with the opportunity to look to the transfer window for improvement in their pursuit for promotion.

Virender Sehwag, the Indian opener, has said he aims to play 100 Tests before his retirement and wishes to bat at No.4, even though he may have to wait until Sachin Tendulkar, who occupies that slot, ends his career

Cricinfo staff19-Feb-2010Virender Sehwag, the Indian opener, has said he “would love” to bat at No.4, even though he may have to wait until Sachin Tendulkar, who occupies that slot, ends his career. Sehwag was speaking at the ESPNcricinfo Awards ceremony in Jaipur, where he won the prize for best Test innings for the second year running. His audacious 293 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai was chosen over four other nominations shortlisted for the award.”I would love to bat at number four. I know I would not get that till Sachin retires. But I can wait,” Sehwag said, despite his enormous success at the top of the order. “I still would like to bat in the middle order. It’s difficult to field one-and-half days and then come out to bat in 10 minutes. When you bat at No. 6 like (MS) Dhoni, it allows you some rest. I have been successful as an opener but who knows, maybe I would have been more successful in the middle order.”Sehwag’s brutal innings against Sri Lanka included 40 fours and seven sixes, and set up an innings win for India, propelling them to the No.1 ranking in Tests. He had tremendous success in 2009 – an average of 108.98 in six Tests – and in the four Tests he’s played this year, he’s already managed two centuries. Sehwag said his form would only get better in the years to come. “I’m 31 and I think I’m playing well. And I would get only better in the next three-four years.”Sehwag defended his naturally aggressive approach to batting, saying there were risks involved even if he opted to play more cautiously. “People say I take too many risks. But the fact is, there is risk involved in every shot. You can get out trying to defend a ball as well. At times, people tell me to leave ball outside the off-stump. But some of them can jag back and get you out if you don’t play shots. I think if you think so much, you simply cannot bat,” he said.”In my case, it would become risky if I try to become defensive, since my technique is not that good. I think in a different way. When I grew up, I tried to score off every ball, be it a 10-over-match, a 20-over or even a Test match. If I stay in the wicket for say about 30 minutes, I want to make the most of it and score maximum runs possible. You never know when you get out, try to score as much possible before that.”Sehwag added he wished to play 100 Tests for India before retiring from the format. “I want to play 100 Test matches and once I have done that, I may retire from Test cricket,” he said.

Andy Blignaut is set to return to international cricket after a hiatus of almost five years after he was included in Zimbabwe’s squad for the World Twenty20 in West Indies.

Cricinfo staff26-Mar-2010Andy Blignaut is set to return to international cricket after a hiatus of almost five years after he was included in Zimbabwe’s squad for the World Twenty20 in West Indies.His inclusion completes a remarkable return by Blignaut, 31, who was one of the ‘rebel’ cricketers whose row with Zimbabwe’s cricket board resulted in the sacking of 15 senior white players in 2004. He subsequently returned to the side, and had been tipped as a potential national captain, but then walked out again in 2006 over after a disagreement about money owed to him by the board.Blignaut hinted at a possible comeback in January this year, and after his fitness had been assessed by the Matabeleland Tuskers franchise he returned to action in Zimbabwe’s domestic Twenty20 competition, striking 111 runs in four innings at an average of 37.00 and a strike rate of 133.73, including a matchwinning half century on his return to competitive cricket. He was then included in a provisional squad for Zimbabwe’s tour of the West Indies, but didn’t make the final touring party.The 15-man group also includes batsman Craig Ervine, the younger brother of former national player Sean Ervine, who has returned to Zimbabwe but is still tied to a contract with Hampshire. Shingi Masakadza and Stuart Matsikenyeri, who were both members of the Zimbabwe side that toured the West Indies in March, have not been included in the squad.Masakadza played in only one international game on the tour, taking two wickets in the final over of the second ODI in Guyana to set up a tense two-run win on his international debut. Despite good returns in domestic cricket, Matsikenyeri was woefully out of form on the tour, scoring just 42 runs in six innings.Chamu Chibhabha also returns to the national set-up, being reward for his sparkling Twenty20 form for the Southern Rocks. He was the second-highest run scorer in this season’s Twenty20 tournament, racking up 230 runs at 57.50, including three fifties.With Zimbabwe seeking to bolster their sparse fast-bowling resources as they build towards a return to Test cricket, Tendai Chatara, the Zimbabwe Under-19 opening bowler, will travel with the team to the West Indies to gain some experience of cricket at higher levels, and will play in a four-day match against West Indies A, starting on April 16, before returning home.The World Twenty20 tournament, which begins on April 30, will also see new coach Alan Butcher take control of the side for the first time. Zimbabwe are grouped with Sri Lanka and New Zealand at the competition, and begin their campaign with a game against the Sri Lankans at the Providence stadium in Guyana on May 3.Zimbabwe squad Prosper Utseya (capt), Brendan Taylor, Charles Coventry, Andy Blignaut, Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu (wk), Greg Lamb, Elton Chigumbura, Vusi Sibanda, Ray Price, Graeme Cremer, Chamu Chibhabha, Chris Mpofu, Timycen Maruma, Craig Ervine