Sri Lanka v. Australia - 2nd. Test

[CQ]

[London Dave]

[Donny]

Nick's Sports Bar never sleeps, Dyso. Even when I'm snoozing, our London correspondent is right on the ball. Good work, Dave.
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Martyn: 'this was the hardest innings of all'

Wisden Cricinfo staff

Damien Martyn completed an emphatic return to form with his second hundred in consecutive matches against Sri Lanka, as Australia manoeuvred themselves into a strong position on the third day at Kandy. And afterwards he was a contented man when he spoke to the press.


"The sub-continent is always a tough place to play your cricket," he said, "but these have to be two of the hardest hundreds I have ever made. But it is satisfying to have done it in the second innings when it has really mattered.


"You need a bit of luck," he conceded, after being dropped in the morning session," and you know you are going to play and miss a few times. You've just got to take the good with the bad, and it was satisfying that I spent a long time at the crease."



Despite a healthy lead of 229 at the close of play, Martyn accepted that Australia's approach to Muttiah Muralitharan would be crucial to their chances of sealing the series. "We have all got different gameplans against him," he said, "depending on whether he is bowling over or round the wicket. All the batsmen have played him pretty well. We have been positive but patient, which you have to be over here.


"Every innings on the subcontinent is a learning curve," added Martyn. "It's one of those frontiers that is great to make runs on, especially against quality spin bowling. I will take the good things from this innings and go forward hopefully to score more runs in the future."


With two days remaining, a result is highly probable, even though the third day was cut short by rain. "We want to get as big a lead as possible," said Martyn, "because we know it is going to be hard for them to bat last. It is definitely going to spin still and if you hit the seam on a good length there is still something in the wicket."


Sri Lanka's coach, John Dyson, conceded that it had been a tough day for his bowlers, but insisted that his side were not out of the running just yet. "Today's cricket was really tough," he said. "There were no easy runs or wickets out there. But if we get one out early tomorrow morning then we are right back in the game. For me, this match is still on a knife-edge, and hopefully the break will freshen up our bowlers for tomorrow."

[Blanch]

I haven't been on the Marto bandwagon lately but in this thread it was suggested that Hayden could afford a small slump in form because he has been brilliant.

It could be argued that Hayden in the best batsmen in the world (that is another thread entirely.) What I wanted to say is that it was not that long ago that Damien Martyn's name was being touted at the best batsman in the world, making century after century. Using the same logic, wouldn't that entitle Marto to a slump for a while?

btw, that's two centuries from 2 tests.

[JLC]

Put it this way Hayden is Buckley and Martyn is Lonie

Who do you think should be afforded the longer form slump ??

jlc

[Donny]

Damien's finest hour

Comment by Robert Craddock - Fox


IT takes a fine player to prove himself in conditions he is least suited to but Damien Martyn has done it here and he can take a bow.

Like a lot of players raised in pacy, bouncy Perth, Martyn has a reputation of being an average player of slow bowling. He has never played a Test in India but he averages 30 in Pakistan and 34 in home Tests in spin-friendly Sydney.

He was no one's idea of the batting saviour of this tour but he has summoned every ounce of application and concentration he could muster.

To add extra merit to his effort he still finds Muttiah Muralitharan challenging to read and occasionally has to adjust his shot off the pitch.

This is a nerve-jangling business.

Only batsmen with clear heads and supreme reflexes can do it. He has done it for more than 13 hours and lost his wicket to the little conjurer just twice.

This might be remembered as Martyn's finest hour in his Test career.

In Australia, Martyn is often criticised for his lack of footwork but his footwork here has been a revelation. The sight of him dancing down the wicket to Muralitharan and clubbing him straight for four was one we thought we might never seen when he was seriously out of form during his cement-footed Australian summer.

Sometimes he has gone down the wicket just to play defensively.

He is suddenly seeing the ball so well that on some occasions here he has backed away from Muralitharan's off-spinner and punched it against the spin though cover for four. It takes poise to do that.

Martyn has always had beautifully soft wrists. Sometimes they can get him into trouble when he tries to be too cute but they have helped him here where crazy turning balls make the power to adjust late one of a batsman's most precious skills.

As important as the shots Martyn has played are the ones he has left against probing left-armers Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa.

He can be a Fancy Dan if he wants to. With Steve and Mark Waugh retired the penny appears to have dropped. he is batting in what the national selectors consider the premier position in the side (four) and a lot is expected of him.

In a lot of ways, Martyn the man is a contrast to a lot of the other batsmen in character. His great mate Gilchrist is an extrovert by nature and so is the colourful Lehmann and the deep thinking, companionable Hayden.

Martyn keeps more of himself to himself. Very few people claim to know the real man. Even his closest mates say they don't really know him.

His life has gone through several vastly contrasting stages and the way he plays his cricket has generally reflected the way he has been living his life off the field at the time.

[Donny]

The Australian lead moves to 270 as Symonds goes for 27 after a 56 run partnership with Martyn.

Martyn is 127 n.o. and it's 6/361.

[Donny]

Warne gone for 6. 7/376.

Murali has 3/146. Martyn (134 n.o.) has his highest Test score.

[JLC]

Reminds me of Mark Waugh in some ways as for ages Mark Waugh did not have a very high highest score.

Warne will get 10 wickets + for the game and miss out on man of the match as that will go to Gilly

jlc

[Donny]

301 lead brought up with another boundary to Marto. He's 140 n.o.
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Gillespie gone. The Aussies sure love Murali. And he must love them.

I wonder how long before Kaspa also gives him a wicket.

8/394.

[Donny]

Martyn brings up his 150 with a six. 9/415.
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9/421. Martyn 157 n.o. 13 from that Murali over.
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Marto out for 161. Stumped from Murali's bowling.

[Donny]

352 needed by Sri Lanka to win. MacGill was 17 n.o.

Murali took 5/173.
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Dizzy claims Atapattu for 8 and Kaspa gets Gunawardene for 9. Both l.b.w. 2/36.

[Donny]

Warne gets Sangakkara, c & b for 29.

Jayasuriya has come good with a quick 79 n.o. but the Aussie bowling is sub standard. 3/143 at tea.

[Donny]

7/301 at stumps. The Sri Lankans have shown great spirit in this chase.

Jayasuriya played a top knock for 131. Vaas is 30 n.o.

Gillespie and Warne both have 3 wickets.

[London Dave]

This one will go to the wire, I fancy the home sides chances if MacGill and Symonds get the chance to roll their arms over.