Chris Martin's experience vital for Black Caps
BY SAM WORTHINGTON
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Chris Martin is swimming against the tide.
At 35 years, the skinny Cantabrian is the father figure of New Zealand's test pace attack, while fast bowlers around the world – think Shane Bond and Shaun Tait – are bulging their wallets as Twenty20 specialists in the IPL.
"I've tended to base my career around the longer form of the game which is not particularly smart considering the world situation in the game at the moment," Martin grins.
"The big dollars are going on the very fast bowlers and the guys that can smash it out of the park. I don't really fit into any of those categories.
"The batting side of things, I probably needed to start when I was about eight to get any good. That boat has passed."
Batting jokes aside, Martin's experience with the ball is golden at a time when New Zealand are trying to paper over the gaping cracks left by the retirements of Bond and Iain O'Brien.
Martin has taken 180 wickets over a decade of test cricket. That hasn't happened by accident and despite the advancing years, he plans to play on for at least one more summer.
There are three boxes to tick; 200 test scalps, another New Zealand contract and completing a tour of India.
"At this age you've got to weigh up what more you can do in the game and a full tour to India is one I haven't experienced before. That's the mecca, Bollywood, going over and seeing the madness in India."
While old batsmen lose their reflexes, old quicks lose their zip.
Martin used to hover in the 140km zone, now he lives in the 130s and relies on his brain.
"When I put my maximum in I can still get up to that 140 pace but I can't do that all day, every day. When I need a little bit of gas, it's still there.
"It's a matter of tempering it with your smarts and understanding that pace isn't what gets most guys out. It's more the disciplines that you bowl with, the areas that you hit and what you do with it."
Martin is relaxed.
He enjoys bowling at the Basin Reserve, (averaging 26.31 in 11 tests) on a pitch which offers seam movement for those prepared to bend their back.
Despite a poor record against Australia (14 wickets at an average of 74), Martin spoke positively about his ability to trouble their batsmen, particularly left-handers Simon Katich, Michael Hussey, Marcus North and Mitchell Johnson.
"It has been a favourable place for most guys that bowl seam up. My natural ball goes away which tends to create a few more problems for lefties. I've had reasonable success against those guys. I've bowled to Marcus quite a bit over the years in county cricket and age-group stuff."
Martin is fourth on New Zealand's test wicket-taking list behind Richard Hadlee (431), Daniel Vettori (317 and counting) and Chris Cairns (218).
But before trying to catch Cairns he wants to overtake former Australian quick Merv Hughes (212), who is in New Zealand in his role as Australian national selector.
"I've always thought that was something you could gauge your career on, whether you got a couple of hundred test wickets," Martin said.
"I remember getting a bit of a barracking from Merv Hughes the last time Australia were out here, I think he was entertaining his tour group. It's all good banter but I've had my eye on him for a while."
As well as taking wickets over the last decade, Martin has been taking notes, slowly working towards a bachelor of arts degree at Canterbury University as he eyes life beyond cricket.
"It shows you've got a brain and you can apply yourself in research and put your thoughts forward. I've only got four papers to go so I really need to nail it.
"I enjoy politics because I like to know how the world has found itself in certain positions. I got more interested in it when 9/11 happened and I decided I'd better learn a bit more about the world."
With the birth of daughter Ruby five months ago, Martin joined the club of dads in the Black Caps which includes Vettori, Bond, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram and Gareth Hopkins.
"That's been a bit of a turning point in my life. Watching a little person grow up is pretty cool. We get along great and then I disappear and it takes a couple of days for her to figure it out. 'Who's this guy, he's back again ...' I'm glad I'm having kids at this age because I'm not going to be away with cricket as much for the next few years."
AT A GLANCE
Chris Stewart Martin
Born: December 10, 1974 in Christchurch
Teams: New Zealand, Auckland, Canterbury, Warwickshire
Test debut: v South Africa at Bloemfontein, 2000
Right-arm fast bowler: 180 wickets in 54 tests at 33.78.
Best bowling 6-54
Right-handed batsman: 83 runs at 2.24.
Highest score of 12 not out
Did you know: No New Zealand player has made more test ducks than Martin
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Guys, don't bother trying to convert Mike to be a Martin supporter. He's entitled to his opinion. I guess he's just more convincing in the pub over a couple of cold ones.. Should be a good match at the Basin. I for one will be supporting the Black Caps all the way!!
Mike Lyttle. Please do not let Chris Martins inabilities with the bat overshadow what he has done with the ball for NZ over the years. It is not coincedence that he has been consistently picked in NZ sides and is now regarded as our best. He will surprise you in this series.
Mike, barring Bond , that record stacks up very well against any New Zealand seamer of recent times that you choose to name. Far from being over rated, Martin has been under rated most of his career and left out of the team far too often. Absolutely agree with Sean that there is a complete dearth of 'younguns' waiting to step up to international cricket at the moment.
180 wickets @ 33.78 for a start, is not impressive. Break it down more, Most of these wickets have came on Green seamer friendly NZ wickets, against "weaker teams". His fielding and batting is enough to leave him out of any team in anycase, too bigger liability. Youngins that should be thrown a chance, Bracewell and Anderson for now in the pace option, Milne is looking a great prospect aswell, IF Paki's can play a 17 year old, why can't we?. Williamson should 100% be in there, instead of players like Ingham etc, who we all know will never amount to anything.
what a amazing batsman. the worlds best... year right
180 wickets @ 33.78 shouldn't be underated. Which 'younguns' do you think could make the jump from domestic to international then Mike?
Most over rated player ever to don the black cap shirt, and to stay in the team for just as long. His Abysmal fielding and batting skills equate to another 40-50 runs per innings to the other team. Equate that with his average at best bowling stats, does't look pretty. Especially when he averages 74 per wicket against the aussies. Can only hope the Aussies take him apart in the first test, leaving the kiwi selectors to finally experiment in the bowling line-up with some younguns.
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Doug Bracwell has 23 wickets in 10 matches... and 9 of them came in the last match. With a bowling average of 43 (which was 50 prior to the last match), he's hardly "ready" after one good game, which was probably on a bowlers' wicket.
Milne has played two games and is unproven - you're hardly going to chuck a 17 year old to the Australins.
Anderson is still injured.. and has been primarily a batsmen recently.
Martin is a good test bowler, and deserves his place in the side. He has good bowling averages against India (14 @ 32), South Africa (44 @ 24), Sri Lanka (23 @ 29), Pakistan (24 @ 36). The only team that's really dominated him is Australia, and to an extent England.
There's no other domestic fast bowlers who are ready for selection.
I do agree though, that Williamson should be there. He's in form, so why not give him a chance NOW. Ingrams' technique isn't good enough for the international game.