Chris Martin's experience vital for Black Caps

BY SAM WORTHINGTON

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

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