Damien Martyn

Australia|Top order Batter
Damien Martyn
INTL CAREER: 1992 - 2006
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Full Name

Damien Richard Martyn

Born

October 21, 1971, Darwin, Northern Territory

Age

52y 150d

Nicknames

Marto

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Medium

Playing Role

Top order Batter

Height

1.81 m

Other

Commentator

No contemporary cricketer, Tendulkar aside, made batting look so simple as Damien Martyn. But it was not always thus. For the brash 21-year-old who waltzed into the Australian team at Dean Jones's expense, batting was an exercise in extravagance. To defend was to display weakness - a policy that backfired in 1993-94 when Martyn's airy square-drive at a crucial moment in Sydney triggered a five-run defeat by South Africa and a six-year hitch to his own promising career. By the time Western Australia, wanting a pretty face to spearhead their marketing campaign, had made him captain at 23, Martyn looked a tormented man. All the more remarkable, then, that he blossomed into a relaxed, classical, feathery artist. He was an elastic fieldsman and an old-style batsman whose first movement was back. He played with a high elbow, a still head, a golfer's deft touch, and had all the shots, including perhaps the most brutal reverse-sweep in the game.

Mostly, though, Martyn stuck to the textbook and composed pristine hundreds which, like the feats of the best wicketkeepers, passed almost unnoticed: an observation supported by the curious fact that, despite a Test average in the fifties, he reached the age of 30 without winning a Man-of-the-Match award. He was the quiet man of the 2003 World Cup-raising side, too, playing a minor role until he spanked 88 not out in the final - with a broken finger that later kept him out of a West Indian tour. His magnificent 13-month streak of 1608 Test runs at 61 and two Man-of-the-Series prizes from March 2004 finally moved him from the dressing-room shadows to the more uncomfortable limelight. Showing his hard-earned versatility, he crafted seven centuries on surfaces ranging from raging turners in Sri Lanka and India to green seamers in New Zealand and the hard bounce of home.

The flood ended in England and following a series of 178 runs and a couple of horrid umpiring decisions he was the major casualty of the Ashes loss. Retaining a one-day spot, he expected his five-day days were over - "If that's my last Test match, well, I've had a great time" - but was reprieved when the selectors wanted experience for the South Africa tour. As the decision to ignore policy by looking back to a 34 year old became increasingly doubtful, Martyn repaid with a nerveless 101 that led to victory in the final Test. After being a key part in Australia's first Champions Trophy success, he struggled in the opening two Tests of the Ashes series and swiftly retired.

In February 2008 he swung another surprise of sorts by announcing he had joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League and when that became defunct, comeback-kid Martyn had another unexpected return, signing for Shane Warne's IPL side Rajasthan Royals for US$100,000 in January 2010.
Cricinfo staff January 2010

Damien Martyn Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
Tests6710914440616546.37856951.41132351310360
ODIs208182515346144*40.80687777.7353744122690
T20Is4401209630.0074162.160111510
FC204343461463023849.25--4473--1582
List A299266648644144*42.79--1061--1040
T20s6601759629.16117149.570117630

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
Tests671234816821/01/484.002.89174.0000
ODIs20831794704122/212/2158.665.3166.1000
T20Is4------------
FC204-33651563374/30-42.242.7890.9-00
List A299-15491300413/33/331.705.0337.7000
T20s6------------
Damien Richard Martyn

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Photos of Damien Martyn

Damien Martyn handed Travis Head his ODI cap
The Help for Heroes team and the Rest of the World XI at the end of the Cricket for Heroes charity match at The Oval
Damien Martyn lines up to play the cut
Chris Harris completes a catch
Australia's four retirees Damien Martyn, Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne in the dressing room
Damien Martyn joined his retiring team-mates, including Justin Langer, in the SCG dressing-rooms after the 5-0 Ashes win