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Martin aims to use bat not body
14/05/2008 07:50 - (SA)
London - Cricket folklore abounds in tales of the hapless number elevens whose arrival at the crease signals the end of the innings is nigh.
The classic example is England leg-spinner Eric Hollies, the
man who famously bowled Don Bradman in his last Test for a duck.
Hollies retired with more first class wickets than runs.
More recently New Zealander Danny Morrison (Test average
8.42 and a then world record 24 ducks) and Jamaican Courtney
Walsh (7.54 with a record 43 ducks), stand out.
But even by their standards New Zealand's Chris Martin is
something special.
Martin averages just 2.55 from 40 Tests with a highest score
of 12 not out. The announcement that he is the final batsman in
inspires predictable mirth from spectators who would not
themselves ever contemplate facing international fast bowling.
At a news conference before Thursday's first Test against
England at Lord's, Martin revealed that he had bruises all over
his body after the Kiwis' final warm-up match.
"That's woken me up to the fact that it's important that I
start to get bat in front of ball instead of body," he said.
The problem, Martin explained, was not vision but
coordination.
Limited ability
"Relaying the message from what I see to my hands and my
feet has always been a bit of a problem," he said. "I can smoke
a golf ball but it's not moving.
"There's a slight mental block there as well. I know when I
was younger I wasn't as handicapped as I am now but I also
understand that playing at this level there's not a lot of room
to move if you've got limited ability."
The modern game in all its forms demands all-round skills
and, although Martin is not in the Hollies' class, his one-day
career has been restricted by his lack of ability with the bat.
Martin said he was working on his batting but confessed that
his international ambitions remain realistic.
"Double figures has always been pretty good at this level,"
he said.
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