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Damien longs for 'family'

Source: The Sunday Times - October 2, 2005

If there is a silver lining in Damien Martyn's controversial omission from the Australian Test side, it comes in the form of his family.

Martyn, speaking before stepping out for South Perth yesterday as part of Cricket Australia's "Long Live Club Cricket" initiative, joked his parents would now get to see more of him after being excluded from his adopted "family".

"It was a bit of a shock initially, that initial day when you miss out playing for your country," Martyn said. "It's been a family for me for seven or eight years.

"We've worked so hard as a group to be No. 1 in both forms that it's always disappointing to leave. It's always going to happen - the day is always going to come - but it's just disappointing when it comes. You just know you're not going into the trenches with the guys going forward.

"I call it a family. I've seen more of them than my Mum and Dad over eight years. I think Mum and Dad are a bit happy I'm going to be home from now on.

"We've always supported each other and we know we're not going to play on together forever, but it is a big family and we care for each other."

Martyn turned out for South Perth yesterday, making only four before being caught at shortish mid-on trying to hook. He flew to Melbourne last night in preparation for the three one-day games against the World XI at Telstra Dome, starting on Wednesday.

The elegant right-hander paid the price for his poor Ashes series, being dropped for the Super Test in Sydney.

Even though he holds 15th spot on the ICC's Test batting rankings, it appears likely he has played his last Test for Australia.

"It's probably disappointing that three or four months ago you win Test player of the year and you're a big part of the team," he said.

"It's cutthroat, we know that, and we've been lucky for so long. We've all done well and the side's done well, but we knew we were ageing and with tough tours coming up, if you don't perform you don't get picked."

If the call-up doesn't come for Martyn. who turns 34 later this month, he won't harbour any bitterness.

"While you think you're still good enough to play cricket, you want to play the best you can and at the top level," he said.

"That's Test cricket and one-day cricket and if I'm not doing that...well, I've got the opportunity in one-day cricket and if that falls over at some stage, then I'm really happy just coming back and finishing my career playing for WA."

- DIGBY BEACHAM