Hi Guys, I’m going to be doing a live uStream chat tomorrow May 06 at 4:30pm AEST, 12:00 IST and 11:00pm PST on my uStream channel
I will be taking questions via my Twitter and you can send in your questions with the hashtag #dmartyn30 just so I know it’s for me!
Hope to see you there.
Cheers
First of all I want to say thank you for all the great blog ideas coming in via Twitter. I hope over the next few months I will be able to cover some of the topics that you guys keep sending it, keep it up! Even if the following topic has been everywhere from TV to print already since my so called “shock retirement”, hopefully this blog can clarify a few things and let people know the truth about why I chose to retire.
I do find it interesting when a player retires, the media and fans tend to get upset or ask, why would he do that? In my opinion, it’s a purely personal decision, it’s the athletes life, so let them choose when they want to leave the game. They’re the one who has committed their whole life to a dream, a passion, which at a certain stage they no longer wish to be part of.
I say they are courageous to make such a decision. Can you for one moment sit back and think about doing something for that long, something that you love so much, and then realise you have to let it go and move on in your life? As a fan it is always hard to see someone you adore, or grew up watching, have to retire. It feels like they have let you down, and I understand that, but sometimes as fans it can get too personal. We have to remember after all, its the athlete’s life.
For me the game of cricket has always been about fun – enjoyment – and playing with my mates. Even from the days of backyard cricket or out in the street, to hang out with your buddies, to compete against each other and then the ride home talking about (and sometimes exaggerating) how well you played was some of the best times. They were great days, and even writing this blog, just thinking about those days brings a smile to my face.
In my opinion, when you’re a kid, that’s the true essence of enjoyment of the game. There is no outside pressure , no politics, no media, just the bat, the ball and your mates. Things change obviously, and that’s the nature of the beast, we all have to grow up, even if it is slowly. These were all stepping stones in being able to reach that amazing moment of having the huge honour of representing your country, and walking out onto the field wearing the baggy green. It makes it all worthwhile. From that moment there is no turning back and your journey begins and for me it was a bumpy ride to start with. There were many hurdles, many pitfalls, some of my own doing but that’s learning your craft and learning about life.
We all need to make mistakes to get better and stronger, don’t get me wrong I enjoyed every moment and feel very lucky and privileged to have been able to lead such a wonderful life. I would not change a thing in my career, I have memories that I will always cherish but I also knew when I felt my time was up. I wasnt going to be an athlete that just hangs in there to their last breathe, I wanted to go on my terms when I felt the time was right.
That moment where I thought about retiring happened quite a bit, where I sat down with my friends and family and spoke about what I wanted to do with my life after cricket. Some understood my decision and some didn’t, which I can understand.
As a team, and one that achieved success, playing with your mates meant the world to us, so why wouldn’t we want everyone to stay together? I listened to the people around me and kept playing a little longer even before we lost The Ashes in 2005.
I had spoken to certain players about retiring, so when I was dropped from the test side, I thought “well this can be the time to retire”. However during my next ODI in Melbourne for the Australia v The World XI at the Telstra Dome, I spoke to a certain friend, and there I was representing Australia again. I managed to score 50 by the way, which was quite funny, because as I had left the hotel room my wife and I had agreed to enjoy this last game.
As history shows I kept playing and I worked my way back into the test side for a few more tests but for me, my heart had gone out of the game. My passion had gone, and I found myself at times just being angry at things for no reason.
I had always dreamt of making a century and walking off the ground saying thank you. I made one in South Africa to help the boys get over the line, and that is moment that I will remember forever. It was one of my greatest knocks, and I can still picture it. I couldn’t retire however, I couldn’t pull the trigger, so the show went on. But as the summer hit of the 06-07 season in Australia and The Ashes came round once again, I knew I was not doing it for the right reasons.
If you cant get up for an Ashes battle, you are letting your team-mates down, not to mention your country.
For some reason it just all came to the fore in Adelaide. As I have mentioned before, it shouldn’t have been a surprise now to you reading this now, as I had tried to retire before. People in high places knew all this so when I decided that it was time to retire, I knew it was a decision my wife and I had to make. I could now make the decision with confidence, and when it was done, I could just walk away and not look back, it was the only way for me at that stage.
It was not ideal in some people’s eyes, more so the journos who wanted me to sit up there and answer their questions about my retirement, but I knew it was the right time. Finally I would do what would make me happy, so I rang the CEO of Cricket Australia at the time and spoke about it and then sent my letter in. It was finally done.
After I had made the decision, my wife and I walked out of the hotel in Adelaide and into a new chapter in our life, which was a very exciting time for both of us!!!
I hope this helps in some small way for my fans to understand, I appreciate something like this is always hard when its not you, but I have appreciated every bit of support I have ever got to help me achieve my dream in life. To those people who allowed me to enjoy a passion of mine for so long, all I can say is, thank you.
It is said that bad things happen in threes. For the sake of the Australian Cricket Team, I hope this is not true.
First, was the loss to Zimbabwe.
Then came the shocking news that Brett Lee had strained a muscle in his right arm, which ruled him out of the rest of the tournament. This was such a disappointment. It is a shame that it happened again and at the crucial stage in the preparation for the T20 Cup.
People had questioned Brett Lee’s form and fitness leading into the IPL. However, one thing you can’t knock is his determination to wake up everyday and give it his utmost to get back playing.
Should he have gone to IPL? Did he return too soon and try too much? Only Brett himself can answer these questions. Knowing him personally, I know that all angles would have been covered as the guy is a true champion of the game and served Australia well for so long.
Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie formed a potent attack for many years. It is hard to forget the debut of Lee, young and fresh blond hair streaming in at the MCG causing havoc. Since that day, he has improved and matured into a great fast bowler.
Playing with him was always a highlight. Lee was never downbeat but always happy and positive with the team coming first. Certainly all great qualities to have around. This is why, for me and no doubt other former team mates, it hurts to see what has happened.
Over the last few years, the injury toll has mounted, which is such a shame but it brings to the front the issue about fast bowling and workloads. With the amount of strain that cricketers put on their bodies and the overs they bowl as the body ages means that unfortunately little things start to go wrong more times than not.
Where to from here for Lee? I wouldn’t write him off just yet. Yes, it is going to get harder each year and with each injury but we should have faith. Hopefully one day we will see him again, if only for one more time streaming in from the MCG for Australia
Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign kicked off overnight against Zimbabwe in a practice game at Beausejour stadium in St Lucia. The match didn’t go according to plan, and will certainly give the boys something to think about. Australia would have been looking for a nice warm up game to get rid of the cobwebs but they ran into Zimbabwe who didn’t have such plans.
The Africans batted first and posted a very respectful 7/173 which is a very competitive score in 20/20. After 5 overs the Aussies were cruising along nicely picking up wickets and had the batting side at 4-36. At this stage you would be thinking “Hello we have them on the ropes here”. Mitchell Johnson was bowling superbly picking up two early wickets and finishing with 4-23 off four overs. Dirk Nannes was his usual self and it was great to see Brett Lee bowling better and picking up 1-13 off four overs which will please him immensely.
Like all things, a spanner was put in the works with the superb batting of Chigumbura who came in when the pressure was on. He turned the game on its head with a brilliant 76 off 35 balls which included five 4’s and three 6’s. The next thing we knew there was a 100 run partnership and Australia was on the back foot.
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What a finale to another great IPL season. The two in form sides met in the final for a dramatic final clash. The Mumbai Indians were led by the ever inspiring Sachin Tendulkar, who seems to be defying age every time he walks out to bat. For me, they were the side to beat all tournament. They had a great line up, great depth and seemed to have all their bases covered.
The opposing team, the Chennai Super Kings, were in and out of form throughout the tournament. They had some amazing performances, and some they’d prefer to forget. With an astute coach in Stephen Fleming and the great man Dhoni, their leadership was strong and they kept faith, particularly when Dhoni was injured and the youngster Suresh Raina took over and produced some amazing knocks while shouldering the responsibility of the captaincy. Raina is a great leader in the making.
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THE weekend bombings in Bangalore which forced this week’s Indian Premier League semi-finals to be re-scheduled have become an all-too-familiar companion of professional sport on the sub-continent.
The sheer number of people in India is overwhelming when you experience it first-hand and it was fortunate not more people were injured by the blasts outside Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium shortly before one of the final pool matches of this year’s tournament.
This type of incident is not a good advertisement for the IPL but having been a part of this year’s competition myself, it would be unfair to attribute any blame to the tournament organisers.
The IPL has risen in three short years to become one of the showpiece events of world cricket and the tournament officials leave very little to chance when it comes to protecting the competition’s players and fans.
The population levels of a country like India and the people’s appetite for cricket makes attacks like these almost impossible to prevent.
The only answer would be to play in empty stadiums and all that does is short-change the fans and give the terrorists the sense that they have won.
I hope for the sake of the competition and cricket in India the tournament can finish with a flourish this week and there are no more incidents of this nature to steal the headlines.
We’re at the pointy end of the tournament now with the semi-finals to be played tonight and tomorrow night before the final on Sunday night.
The top-ranked Mumbai Indians have been superbly led by Sachin Tendulkar throughout the tournament and they won’t be too concerned by their thumping nine-wicket loss to the lowly Kolkata Knight Riders in the final pool match on Monday night.
With his team’s position at the top of the ladder already secured, Tendulkar opted to sit out of the dead rubber but the Indians have been the dominant team this year, winning 10 of their 14 matches and finishing the round-robin phase with a net run rate almost four times better than any other team in the competition.
They just need to maintain their form for two more matches and the title is theirs to lose.
Having said that, they will need to be at the top of their game in tonight’s first semi-final against Bangalore, who started the tournament in blistering fashion, winning four of their first five matches, including a seven-wicket win over the Indians in Mumbai.
With South African allrounder Jacques Kallis in career-best form and the world’s quickest bowler Dale Steyn and explosive English allrounder Kevin Pietersen in the line-up, they could spring an upset.
There’s plenty of Aussie interest in tomorrow night’s second semi-final between Deccan Chargers and Chennai Super Kings.
Deccan – coached by Darren Lehmann, captained by Adam Gilchrist and featuring the Gold Coast’s own excitement machine Andrew Symonds – have done superbly to overcome a worrying mid-season form slump and fight their way into second place after the pool phase.
Throw in talented South African Herschelle Gibbs, and you have a dangerous line-up who will cause Matthew Hayden and his Chennai teammates plenty of headaches.
Haydos hasn’t lived up to his usual consistent standards at this year’s tournament but in a testament to his class, he still heads into the semi-finals as Chennai’s leading runscorer with 572 at a strike rate of 144.
Whatever plays out in Mumbai, you can be sure the final few matches will provide a fitting finale to a great tournament.
* CAN ANY more disappointment be heaped on my good mate Brett Lee?
I felt so sorry for him on hearing about his latest injury setback last week a broken thumb sustained while playing for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL which has cast doubt over his international comeback in the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies next month.
Knowing his character and determination, Lee will view this as a minor setback and while he didn’t bowl to his usual high standards in India, you have to understand he will take time to find his rhythm as he comes back from a long layoff.
I would urge cricket fans to be patient. Brett Lee will come good – great champions don’t lie down.
If he can get to the West Indies fighting fit, it will only enhance Australia’s undeniable chances of taking out the Twenty20 World Cup.
I’m excited about Australia’s prospects in the Caribbean and look forward to watching them go about adding another trophy to their bulging cabinet
Cricket Australia contract list came out last week and is always a interesting time for all parties, players nervous wondering if they are on the list firstly then if they are what level they are, cricket Australia and selectors because like all things nothing is faultless and people must be left out. As players we have always found it an interesting topic why the list is made public so the whole country can know what you earn and were you stand on the list personally I feel the only thing gained from this is more talk more articles and more bushfires being set by media to make a story i.e. a certain player is not higher enough or the cliché one used every year the players earn to much. Now that is a story in itself how do you judge what is to much we are talking about the prize assets in a multi million dollar company which are rolled out as much as can be and remember without them without there is no income stream which would in turn mean less staff at the office and less pay for everyone I feel it’s a win situation for all parties the more successful the team is the more sponsorships, bigger TV rights and TV rights is were it all is without big pay days re playing the bigger countries i.e. India things would be a lot different. We have a lot to thank India for and not just IPL. To me there pay is there private issue but I see no problem in them earning 1.5 million plus as we do not complain when an afl player earns 1 million playing for his club, I say good on them if you are good enough and playing well at the right time and someone is willing to pay that go for it why should they be knocked all of us in the same situation would gladly sign the contract and move on not stand up and say sorry sir I feel its to much…as all sports that move forward at a rapid pace the real crunch is you need a game which gets a big TV audience preferably overseas and then TV rights come in which changes the whole dynamics of money, we only have to cast our eyes over to the IPL and what a fantastic product Modi has rolled out whether some people like or dislike you cannot for one minute knock the phenomenon of the competition and the sheer size. Billion dollar TV rights new franchises going for 350 million plus no wonder its sending shivers through certain cricket boards. I say embrace with the direction if the people love it listen to them go with them administrators would be mad to keep there heads in the sand the game has changed.
Ps I think a shout out to david hussey is in order as well not picked in the contract I feel is very disappointing and hard to understand but he is a fine cricketer and we haven’t seen the last of him playing for Australia. Watch this space
CAMERON White has been the biggest mover over the last season of Aussie cricket I reckon.
White’s power hitting in the One Day Internationals (ODI) and 20/20 versions, along with his maturity with the bat are finally coming through for the fans to see. He has become an important Australian cog in the shorter version of the game,
He has always been a man with loads of talent but now with belief and confidence the real “White man” is showing the world his talent if only with the bat (I think the bowling has been put in the cupboard!).
The official cricket summer is now over with the tour of New Zealand ending last week and Ricky Ponting and the boys have gone through undefeated. They can hold their head high but it’s only a short break before they take off again to the 20/20 World Cup.
Another big improver this season has been Mitchell Johnson in the bolwing depertament.
He capped off the year with his usual talent storming all over the Zealanders
To me, he has moved on from the Ashes in the UK (when he struggled a bit) and he will be a major force next summer when the Ashes battle with England moves to our shores.
It always amazes me how critics and journos bring the knives out after one bad tour and all were ready to get rid of him after the Ashes.
We we must not forget that at this level, the athlete cannot be expected to be at his best day in day out. It’s just not possible. Only Bradman has come close.
Johnson is our bowling leader now and for well into the future.
Back that up with big Dougie Bollinger and look out England!
These two should be first picked in the Test side and let loose with the new ball. What a combination. They will send nightmares through opposition sides.
Interestingly, from a player’s point of view, big Dougie has always been what we see now.
Playing against him years ago was a tough assignment and it was always a mystery why he couldn’t get a game for Australia, but now he is in, watch out.
I love the energy and passion he brings to the attack. It lifts the boys and makes watching the game exciting when he is bowling.
He has finally got his just rewards for years of toiling away in first class cricket.
On the batting side: another great year by M.Clarke. Once again his leadership qualities came through. If there is ever a man ready to take over the team when the time is right, it’s him.
He makes runs in tough times, leads by example, understands the younger generation well and will be the perfect man to lead the 20/20 side at the moment and the Test side when Ponting retires.
Ponting can feel great pleasure in knowing that all the hard work he has done to form this side over the last few years won’t go to waste with Clarke taking over.
The boys will be tired now. Some are resting and some are in India playing IPL.
The skipper is having a well earned rest at home for a few months. He no longer plays 20/20 which I think is a smart move to improve his longevity in the game.
He still has a lot to offer the Australian team and the man has a steel about him. It will take a brave punter predict when Ponting hangs up the bat.
I say keep going old boy Rick.
The 20/20 World Cup looms and the squad was announced with few surprises except the big one of Brett Lee being included without much game time after coming back from injury
But if we assess it calmly, I feel that, yes, it’s a risk, but if he gets back to full fitness and form he will be a valuable asset in the team and help win the cup.
Now, I can hear people saying “look at his bowling in the IPL”. There’s room for improvement sure, so it’s a little sad for his IPL franchise but good for Australia in that he can use the Indian competition game time to get his bowling back into a rhythm that he feels happy with.
Never write off a champion I say. Being more positive is always nicer then negative. It’s so easy to sit back here behind your laptop and criticise players
Oh how good you are, sitting in the stands.
What a win can do for a side is quite incredible look back a week and wolves where circling, the media saying we would finish last and maybe even the owners sitting in the boxes starting to fret if only a tiny bit. But like all things in life things can change around if the work is put in and faith is kept in the process of how you go about playing the game. The one thing that was spoken of repeatedly was the game plan which has been in place for all ipl’s will still work but only if implemented and carried out the right way. There is no secret that the first 3 games nothing was followed everybody was nervous for whatever reason, game plans forgotten about and chaos followed. Since then the boys have gotten closer, bonded better, worked harder and made a conscious effort to believe in the team and the process and if all followed and performed to there best the results would follow. It helps with Jeremy snape around the mental guru of the royals and also the south African cricket side his calmness and focus through the whole first week was amazing to watch when most people would of thought that there would of been ranting and shouting he got us together made us look into each other eyes in a non romantic way of course and just be honest with each other which is easier said then done but a great credit to the group they embraced it listened intently and moved onto the next game. Talk about pressure leading into the next one 4 losses in a row would not been good as history is they won and with that win the smiles were back the laughter in the rooms and slowly growing confidence that we have finally started the campaign now and if we play that way we will be there at the end of the tournemant.what the great man Shane Warne does is instill confidence in the group and a belief that if played well we will be there at the end and are good enough to take out the whole thing, all great teams have great leaders and he is certainly one of those who is in the process of building a great side. I loved every minute under his leadership and have only experienced a few times before when he captained the Australian ODI side which I think we won 9 out of 10 amazing, was such a shame that like all things good decisions were not made because of politics and what people might of thought purely on cricket he would of been a great leader of the country. Well back to the cricket since then we have won 3 in a row and sit 3rd on the table and a big game looming this Avro can we keep the winning feeling going I certainly hope so if they win today it will certainly send shivers through the comp and make people sit up and take notice, playing the royals for a easy win will not be in there minds anymore. To me the comp is open now teams are wining and losing and with the exception of Bangalore no one is running away so all teams still have a shot you are only 1 win away from who knows what!!! Go the the royals keep believing play well this Avro we are all watching.. Good luck
BY the time you read this I’ll be heading home.
The Rajasthan Royals squad has been trimmed to 19 players and it looks like allrounder Shane Watson might join us next week.
That’s the nature of professional cricket and I knew from the start what my role in the squad was and how this might happen.
But I have appreciated the chance to taste the whole IPL experience, get the pads on again, play a game and hopefully pass on some knowledge to the younger group here in India.
I have mixed feelings about leaving as I have thoroughly enjoyed my time and found the group amazing. Working with the Indian players and talking cricket and then seeing them improve is certainly a thrill and one I’ll miss.
It has been an eventful week.
The Royals broke through for their first win, which was much needed. We haven’t had the ideal start but it is such a long tournament that anything can happen.
Once you get on a roll and confidence grows within the team it’s amazing how upbeat the group can get.
I enjoyed my IPL debut last week and even though it wasn’t the best result (19 off 24 balls) it’s ironic that ever I was to play it had to be against the best bowler in the world. Dale Steyn, bowling 155kmph. Welcome back to cricket Marto.
I stilled enjoyed the whole experience, being back out there with the intensity of the game and an amazing atmosphere.
There is one thing for sure, this IPL phenomenon is here to stay.
I find it hard to explain the electricity around every game and around every franchise. It’s certainly the closet thing you will get as player to international cricket and, at times, more pressure as franchise owners want results. And that will only intensify with the money getting bigger and the whole package growing into a global success.
You only have to look at the two new IPL franchises that were bought this week from $US330 to $US370 million. Who would of thought such prices would come and in only three years.
Remember the Royals was bought for $US 70million at the start and it’s a very smart business now. I think every owner jumped with delight when they saw the new prices and how values have gone up .
For me, the IPL challenge has been fun
I think these are the things in life which keep you alive: putting yourself out there and pushing the barrier.
I have enjoyed my time as a player but going forward I’m looking forward to new roles around the group and, like all past players, gteting my notebook out, sitting in the dugout and scribbling away.
In the meantime, I can’t wait to see my family again. There’s an upside to everything.