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Martyn runs to US for privacy

Source: The West Australian - December 10, 2006

Damien Martyn has decided to flee the country to escape the fallout of his shock retirement which could cost himself more than $600,000.

A hastily-planned two-week US holiday with his young wife Annika will allow Martyn to escape the spotlight he so loathes by visiting a land where cricket does not register a blip on the sporting radar.

Martyn has told his management firm he will turn his phone off while he is away and will talk to them about his life after cricket when he returns.

Cricket Australia will tomorrow review its contract system to see whether it has to pay out the last half of Martyn's annual contract which expires after the World Cup in April.

It is likely that CA will not be obliged to keep paying Martyn, meaning he is expected to sacrifice more than $200,000 in contract earnings.

There may be a chance CA will offer Martyn a payout as a gesture of goodwill, a measure supported by some CA board members.

But Martyn's decision was made so quickly, no financial settlement was discussed.

Had he been dropped, Martyn – who is believed to have fled to the US to escape the media spotlight – would have been entitled to full payment of his contract retainer but his decision to retire from all cricket has effectively ended the contract.

The greatest financial loss for Martyn will be his omission from the World Cup squad to tour the West Indies.

He was a certainty to tour and that tournament is a huge money earner because the players keep the prize money.

When Australia won the last World Cup in South Africa in 2003 the players won more than $250,000 each.

Martyn will also forego match fees for the last three Ashes Tests (about $40,000) plus this summer's domestic international one-day series against England and New Zealand and a short one-day tour of New Zealand.

Shane Warne believes Martyn is the first of many senior players who will retire over the next few years.

"Obviously it came as a big surprise," Warne said.

"Marto has been in good touch for a period of time in both forms of the game.

"It came as a shock because he was an important part of the side. He was with me and he wasn't down in the dumps. We were in the room to very late," he said.

Allrounder Andrew Symonds seems likely to be chosen ahead of late replacement Adam Voges for Thursday's third Test against England at the WACA.

Symonds impressed national selection chairman Andrew Hilditch with his seam and spin bowling at the WACA in a Pura Cup match for Queensland against WA.