BROMSGROVE skipper Mark Evenson has backed Alexei Kervezee for a return to first-class cricket after his resurgance in form at St Godwalds Road.
The 25-year-old has not featured for Worcestershire since making 21 and a duck in a LV= County Championship Division One clash against Durham in May.
Evenson admitted Kervezee’s form had also dipped for Bromsgrove where he plays his Saturday cricket following his omission from Steve Rhodes’ side.
But after a match-winning 144 against Attock and a four-wicket haul in the Boars’ 94 run-victory over Harborne last Saturday Evenson believes the all-rounder is back to his best.
“I know he struggled for us early doors, but he feels a little bit more relaxed about the whole situation with Worcestershire,” Evenson said.
“I guess when you are left out of the first team you can get angry and upset, but he seems to have accepted it and said to himself ‘the only way to get back in is to go out, play cricket, take wickets and score runs’, and he is doing that now.
“Before he got the 144, it was on the back of a hundred for Worcestershire Seconds and a 70-odd in a one-day game.
“He is getting lots of time in the middle and it is probably the first time we have seen him in a bit of form.
“I think his highest score before the Attock game was about 60-odd so to convert that to nearly 150 was a great effort and he is just showing what a class player he is.
“Alexei has also taken on the mantle of opening the bowling due to unavailability, but he stuck his hand up and he has taken two or three wickets in pretty much every match for the last two or three weeks to be honest.
“So his all round cricket is booming and that bodes well for Bromsgrove.”
The performances of Kervezee, who has previously represented Netherlands, have also helped the Boars recover from a run of eight straight defeats to secure back-to-back victories.
And Evenson said he was confident they can continue their winning streak as they prepare to take on Old Hill in Birmingham League Division today (Saturday).
“We had a miserable two months where we pretty much lost every game of cricket, but we have now found a way to stay in games for longer,” he added.
“We have won two out of two so there is a bit of confidence back in the changing room as guys are getting hundreds and everyone is playing their part.
“I don’t think there is any reason why we can’t make it three out of three to be honest.”
