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Martyn in dark over career

Source: The Australian - December 10, 2005

Damien Martyn's Test sacking has left him uncertain about his one-day career after missing the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy tour of New Zealand with a finger injury.

Despite a strong endorsement from captain Ricky Ponting that he wants Martyn's experience in the side leading into the 2007 World Cup and some good one-day form for Western Australia, Martyn says he has no idea what the future holds.

"I haven't been told anything (by selectors) about my one-day career," Martyn said.

"My Test record was better than my one-day record, so anything can happen to you at any time. In one-day cricket they will probably chop and change the team even more than Test cricket.

"Batting in the middle order in the one-day side, your numbers never look as good on paper because of the way the one-day game is.

"To lose my spot after all I had done in Test cricket means they could pull the plug on me at any time in the one-dayers."

Now fully recovered and preparing to play for Western Australia against Queensland in Pura and ING Cup matches this month, Martyn's season has been further frustrated by injury.

In the Super Series one-day tournament in October, a first-match duck was followed by run-a-ball scores of 54 and 33.

There could not be a greater contrast in the domestic competitions for Martyn this season; with 260 runs at 87 and a highest score of 110 in four ING Cup games compared to just 65 runs at 16 with a top score of 25 in two Pura Cup matches.

"The one-dayers start up again in January and I might be there, I might not be there," the 34-year-old said.

"If I am there in January it could be my last VB Series. I'm just going to go out and enjoy it and not worry about things too much."

Martyn remains surprised by his Test sacking following the Ashes defeat after four bad Tests, as he had averaged between 40 and 103 in his nine previous Test series.

He recalls the long fight he had to re-establish his Test career and the leeway given to some of Australia's finest players.

"When I wasn't in the Test team there were always patches that other players went through. Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh and other great players," Martyn said.

"You were next in line but you understood you had to wait because they were all great players."

Martyn pointed to the patience the selectors showed with Matthew Hayden, who went a record 30 innings without making more than 70 before scoring four hundreds in as many Tests.

"It shows that everyone has dips in form. Some guys longer, some guys shorter," he said.

"Haydos has shown that if you show guys a bit of faith there are rewards. He's come out recently and creamed the bowling.

"There's a fine line."

Martyn believes it unlikely that he will get the chance to add to his 61 Tests, which have brought him 4125 runs at 48 with 12 centuries, but he has found an upside to losing his place.

"I've been really enjoying being at home and living outside the bubble," he said of life as an almost permanent touring cricketer.

"There is a lot to be said for living a normal life. It's not live or die."

- MALCOLM CONN