Damien Martyn

Martyn was subsequently dropped from the Test team in the early 1993 tour to New Zealand, until being recalled for the Third Test at Eden Park, Auckland after Mark Waugh was dropped, scoring 74.[5] Martyn also played in some of the subsequent ODIs on the New Zealand tour as well as on the 1993 Ashes tour to England,[6] but was dropped from the Test team after Waugh scored centuries in the warm-up matches and had been the leading run scorer in the New Zealand ODIs. Waugh was third in the Test batting averages, confining Martyn to playing in tour matches against county teams. Martyn was given another chance in the 1993–94 Australian season when Steve Waugh tore a hamstring and Martyn played in the Boxing Day and New Year's Tests at the MCG and SCG respectively. Although he managed 59 in the first innings of a low scoring match in Sydney, it was his performance in the second innings which blighted his reputation for many years into the future. With Australia stumbling while chasing a small target of 117 against South Africa, Martyn had trouble scoring, with an unconvincing 6 from 59 balls in almost two hours as he and Craig McDermott took the total from 8–75 to within sight of victory at 8–110. He then attempted an airborne cover-drive off Allan Donald and was caught, and Australia lost the Test.[7] Martyn was heavily criticised by the media who blamed him for the defeat. He played three more ODIs in that season, before being dropped upon Waugh's return from injury. Although Waugh would have reprised his position in any case, Martyn lost his position as the reserve batsman and was dropped from subsequent national squads altogether. He would not play ODI cricket again until 1997 and Tests until 2000.[5][6]

Damien Martyn's career performance graph.

He re-appeared at the start of the millennium when he replaced an injured Ricky Ponting on the tour to New Zealand in early 2000.[8] Despite topping the averages in New Zealand he made way for Ponting for the home series against the West Indies in 2000/01. He played one test during that summer, replacing an injured Steve Waugh for Australia's victory at Adelaide where he remained not out in both innings.

He was selected on Australia's tour to India in 2001 and was considered unlucky not to replace a struggling Ponting. His chance to consolidate a permanent position in the side came during the 2001 Ashes tour where he replaced fellow West Australian Justin Langer in the first test. He posted his maiden test century in the first test at Edgbaston. He was chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year as a result of his performances in The Ashes in the summer of 2001.

Martyn subsequently put in regular appearances for Australia, becoming integral to the middle-order and eventually filling the void at no. 4 left by Mark Waugh's international retirement. His best form came over a twelve-month period beginning in March 2004 where he scored two crucial centuries to help Australia to a 3–0 series whitewash in Sri Lanka. He was then man of the series in India when Australia claimed their first series victory on Indian soil in over 30 years. He made two centuries and narrowly missed out on becoming the first Australian batsman since Don Bradman to make three centuries in three innings when he was dismissed for 97 in the second innings of the third test. Two centuries at home against Pakistan over the 2004/05 season and another in New Zealand in 2005 rounded out a stellar 12 months in which Martyn had made 1608 runs at an average of 61.84 in 12 months including 7 test centuries.

Martyn was presented with the McGilvray Medal in 2005 as the ABC's Test cricketer of the year as well as being adjudged Test Player of the Year at the 2005 Allan Border Medal.[9]

Following a poor Ashes tour of England in 2005, where he recorded a total of 178 runs at an average of 19.77, Martyn was dropped from the Australian Test side to play in the ICC Super Series 2005. However, he was retained in the ODI side over the 2005/06 summer.

He was recalled to the Test squad at the expense of Brad Hodge for the three-Test series in South Africa in March and April 2006. Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns cited his experience as the major reason for his recall. His contributions in the first two tests were minimal but he repaid the selectors' faith with an important century in the second innings of the third test that helped guide Australia to victory.

In the 2006 Champions Trophy Tournament, Martyn won back-to-back man of the match awards against England and India. He also played an important unbeaten innings in the final against the West Indies to help Australia win the tournament for the first time. He was Australia's leading runscorer in the tournament.

Martyn played in the first two Tests of the 2006/07 Ashes series, where he managed to score just 45 runs in three innings. Dismissed for only 5 playing a rash shot in Australia's run chase in the second Test, his place in the side came under increasing scrutiny in the media, although he received several statements of support from members of the Australia team, notably Mike Hussey and Justin Langer.

Despite his poor form Martyn was widely expected to retain his place due to Shane Watson's lack of fitness and the fact that the third test was to be played at the W.A.C.A. Ground, Martyn's home ground. It came as a surprise when on 8 December 2006, Martyn announced his immediate retirement from all domestic and international cricket.[10] Commenting on his decision, Martyn said: "I would like to advise of my retirement from cricket, effective from today. I do so with a deep awareness of the opportunities that the game and Cricket Australia have provided for me."[11] Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland insisted that Martyn had not been pushed and that Martyn was originally going to be named in the squad for the third Test.

Martyn scored a century (100 runs or more) on 13 occasions in Test cricket and 5 in One Day International (ODI) matches, but has not scored a century in Twenty20 international.[12]

Martyn scored his first century, about 9 years after making his debut, in The Ashes, against England on 5 July 2001 at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham scoring 105 runs in the process.[13] His performance in the series earned him the Wisden cricketer of the year award for 2001.[14] His highest score of 165 runs came against New Zealand on 18 March 2005 at Basin Reserve, Wellington.[15] His last Test century was against South Africa on 31 March 2006 at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg where he scored 101 runs. Out of his 13 Test centuries, 8 has been scored on the first innings and the rest 5 in the second innings.[13]

No.	Score[lower-alpha 1]	Against	Pos.[lower-alpha 2]	Inn.[lower-alpha 3]	Test[lower-alpha 4]	Venue	H/A[lower-alpha 5]	Date	Result[lower-alpha 6]
1	1050	England	6	1	1/5	Edgbaston, Birmingham	Away	5 July 2001	Won[16]
2	1180	England	5	1	4/5	Headingley, Leeds	Away	16 August 2001	Lost[17]
3	124*0	South Africa	6	1	1/3	Adelaide Oval, Adelaide	Home	14 December 2001	Won[18]
4	1170	South Africa	6	1	3/3	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	Home	2 January 2002	Won[19]
5	1330	South Africa	6	1	1/3	The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg	Away	22 February 2002	Won[20]
6	1100	Sri Lanka	4	2	1/3	Galle International Stadium, Galle	Away	8 March 2004	Won[21]
7	1610	Sri Lanka	4	2	2/3	Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy	Away	16 March 2004	Won[22]
8	1040	India	5	2	2/4	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai	Away	14 October 2004	Drawn[23]
9	1140	India	4	1	3/4	Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur	Away	26 October 2004	Won[24]
10	100*0	Pakistan	4	2	1/3	Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth	Home	16 December 2004	Won[25]
11	1420	Pakistan	4	1	2/3	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	Home	26 December 2004	Won[26]
12	1650	New Zealand	4	1	2/3	Basin Reserve, Wellington	Away	18 March 2005	Drawn[27]
13	1010	South Africa	4	2	3/3	New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg	Away	31 March 2006	Won[28]

Martyn's first ODI century came against New Zealand on 3 March 2000 at Eden Park, Auckland, he scored 116 and remained not out.[29] A knock of 144 runs from 149 balls against Zimbabwe on 4 February 2001 at the WACA Ground, Perth is his highest ODI score.[30] His last ODI century was against India on 1 November 2003 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai where he scored 100 runs and also won the man of the match award.[29][31]

No.	Score[lower-alpha 1]	Against	Pos.[lower-alpha 2]	Inn.[lower-alpha 3]	S/R[lower-alpha 7]	Venue	H/A/N[lower-alpha 5]	Date	Result[lower-alpha 6]
1	116*	New Zealand	2	1	85.92	Eden Park, Auckland	Away	3 March 2000	Lost[32]
2	144*	Zimbabwe	2	1	96.64	WACA, Perth	Home	4 February 2001	Won[33]
3	104*	South Africa	4	1	85.95	Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane	Home	20 January 2002	Won[34]
4	101*	England	4	1	88.59	Bellerive Oval, Hobart	Home	11 January 2003	Won[35]
5	100	India	4	1	84.03	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai	Away	1 November 2003	Won[36]