Will Damien Martyn stand up and be counted ??

[The Prototype]

If he gets selected to play one more game, then the selectors are off their heads. He's only scored one score in the 40s and really hasn't looked like getting going in the series. So I think it's time Australia said goodbye to Damien Martyn and find a new face to take his place.

So now that we have decided it's time for Martyn to go, who will we put in to replace him? Maybe even drop Bevan, he might be next on the cards aswell. But anyway, who will it be?

[JLC]

Well here is my team:

Gilchrist
Hayden
Ponting
Clarke
Katich
Beven
Symonds
Harvey
Lee
Gillespie
Williams

Bevan is the next questionable player and i would drop him should Moss continue with some good form in the one dayers.

jlc

[The Prototype]

I'll agree to that team, looks pretty good, not sure about Katich after tonight, but once get gets a regular spot should be a good player to replace Martyn.

[London Dave]

1 run in 3 hits v India. Time for a spell in the two's Damen. I wouldn't say he's out of form, just that he doesn't stay in long enough for us to tell.

I think cam made the point about Bevan looking 'tired'. I remeber Steve Waugh's last ODI series, he looked old, slow and fat in the field (well, a little bit of a paunch'). The time to 'drop' blokes is before they're in free fall, but after they've had a chance to post a score. Martyn is beyond that point now, Bevan, who I've always been a 'defender' of, is rapidly approaching his point of no return.

[MargOZ]

I'll also be really surprised if Martyn gets another go this summer - he's really struggling and it's time to give another promising batsman a go. As for Bevan, I've always been a fan of his so I'd love to see him find some form - I was wondering if playing him further up the order might suit him better? He seems to be struggling more when he comes in later in the match and coming in earlier may give him a chance to find a bit of rythym and enjoy a longer stand out there.

Marg

[JLC]

I think Clarke is the batsman who needs to come in earlier.

jlc

[piedys]

[London Dave]

Aaaaaaaaaah...the demise of Kim hughes.

I loved Bill Lawry's commentry when he made a goose egg at the MCG (next match)

"He's come out, the crowd was willing him to succeed but he's FAILED"

The footwork he displayed in his brief appearance of the crease was tres ordinaire!

[Canberra]

Will Damien Martyn stand up and be counted? Why,what does it take to count to zero?

[JLC]

Martyn is Ponting's pick
By Jon Pierik
January 24, 2004

RICKY Ponting has pledged his support for Damien Martyn as pressure mounts on the embattled batsman to produce a breakthrough innings.

Martyn's golden duck against India on Thursday night continued an indifferent summer for the West Australian whose feet are not moving well.

In five innings in this one-day campaign, Martyn has contributed only 69 runs at 17.25.

Even more concerning is that he has scored only one run in three innings against India while posting scores of 21 and 47 not out against pushovers Zimbabwe.

"I don't think he is under any pressure, no, certainly not from anyone within the team," Ponting said.

"I am sure Damien is disappointed that he hasn't made more runs than he has in this series so far. As I said, he is working hard and I am sure it's not far away."

Martyn has been criticised for failing to produce a big score when the pressure is at its fiercest and Australia are in trouble.

He had another chance to snuff out this talk in Australia's stunning two-wicket win at the SCG on Thursday but fell first ball when left-armer Irfan Pathan produced a delivery which kissed the edge of Martyn's bat.

Ponting is one of Martyn's staunchest supporters and immediately defended the form of his good friend.

"He looked like he got a pretty good ball first up," Ponting said. "I know he is batting well. He's spending extra time in the nets and is working hard. "

Martyn does have credit points up his sleeve in the one-day game, having scored a hundred and two half-centuries on Australia's recent tri-series tour of India.

But if he continues to struggle this summer, the selectors may opt to give Simon Katich a go in the middle order.

Martyn is expected to retain his place for Monday's meeting with Zimbabwe - the second of two matches in Adelaide this weekend.

The Indians take on the Africans today in a match that has little consequence on the series as India and Australia will meet in the finals.

Martyn's sluggish form has hampered Australia's desire for flourishing top-order partnerships.

"That's the thing India has done so well," Ponting said. "Once they have had one batsman in, they have someone stick with them for a long partnership."

Batting in the No.4 spot in both forms of the game - a role reserved for the team's best strokemaker - Martyn is expected to regularly have a major influence on the result.

He finished with the respectable figures of 254 runs at 42.33 in this summer's Test series against India, ensuring his career average continued to hover in the mid-40s.

But through the series his highest score was an unbeaten 66 in the second innings of the first Test in Brisbane - the only time he passed 50 in the four-Test campaign and it's now almost two years since he scored his last Test ton - against South Africa in February 2002.

[tazza2000]

JLC, sounds like you have a personal vendetta against Damian

I'll admit he is going through a very long bad patch, but faith must be shown in dire times.

He has proven he is able to score runs, he just needs to score them more often, and a century wouldn't hurt either.

Funny thing is that last week, EVERYONE wanted lee off the team.

The media, the australian public, yet it was he who hit 'that' 6 off the third last ball which won Australia the match. And when he took his first wicket the other night he went straight to ricky ponting and thanked him for showing faith in him.

So dont be so hasty in your selection of JLC's XI

[Donny]

Punter promotes struggling Martyn

Fox

DAMIEN Martyn will open the Australian batting against Zimbabwe tomorrow in a move captain Ricky Ponting believes is his best chance of finding touch.

Continuing his leadership method of giving the team's embattled players every encouragement to regain form, Ponting said he was promoting Martyn to opener to build a big innings in the day-night tri series match at Adelaide Oval.

"He's got a great record opening the batting for Australia," Ponting said.

"He needs a little bit of time in the middle, so he's going to get his chance tomorrow."

Martyn has spent very little time at the crease in the one-day series so far, having made just 69 runs in five innings.

His form line reads 0 (v India), 21 (v Zimbabwe), 47no v Zimbabwe, 1 v India, 0 v India, meaning he has scored just one run against India in three innings.

He will not get a better chance to improve his stuttering form in this series than opening the batting against Zimbabwe on a batsmen-friendly Adelaide pitch.

"It (opening) just gives you a bit more of an opportunity, a bit more of a chance I think, to get in and get settled," Ponting said.

"Batting at No.4 sometimes you're in really early, sometimes you don't get a bat until late in the innings.

"That's the way it's been for Damien the last few games.

"The chance is there for him tomorrow, he's obviously going to have the chance to bat for a long period of time and that's what we're hoping he can do."

Ponting said he had tossed up between Martyn and Michael Clarke to replace the resting Adam Gilchrist at the top of the order, but Martyn had leapt at the opportunity.

"Damien was extremely keen to do it so he got the nod," Ponting said.

Michael Bevan and Clarke were also expected to move slightly higher in the order and fill the No.4 and No.5 batting berths, with Ponting to remain at first drop.

Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak said the absence of Adam Gilchrist, replaced in the side by New South Wales keeper Brad Haddin, offered little respite for his side.

"Teams like Australia have so many people sitting on the sideline, quality players chomping at the bit to come in, and who would be playing international cricket in most other countries," Streak said.

"We can't just rest on our laurels and think we've had a couple of reasonable games so we're just going to rock up and be competitive against the world champs.

"It's always nice not to bowl to the likes of Gilly ... but there's plenty of other guys batting well."

Zimbabwe was expected to stick with the same team that lost by three runs to India last night, but was likely to promote Dion Ebrahim to opener, and move struggling Vusi Sibanda down the order.

Teams: Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (capt), Damien Martyn, Matthew Hayden, Michael Bevan, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich, Andrew Symonds, Ian Harvey, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Brad Hogg, Brad Williams.

Zimbabwe (likely): Heath Streak (capt), Dion Ebrahim, Grant Flower, Travis Friend, Stuart Carlisle, Sean Ervine, Vusi Sibanda, Tatenda Taibu, Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Douglas Hondo, Blessing Mawhire (12th man).

[The Prototype]

I hope Damien Martyn can finally snap out of his slump, I really don't know about having Haddin in the side, I was actually hoping to see Campbell given another go in the Australian side.

[JLC]

[Johnson#26]

Martyn fails again ! Out for 9 but a tad unlucky with a good catch by Ebraham.