News

Disappointed Martin feels the pain

The fast bowler Chris Martin was upset to be dropped by the New Zealand selectors for the first Test against West Indies on Thursday

Cricinfo staff
08-Dec-2008

Down and out: Chris Martin has fallen from favour © Getty Images
 
Chris Martin, the New Zealand fast bowler, was upset at his dropping by selectors for the first Test against West Indies, but acknowledges that he has not been operating at his best. Martin captured six wickets in Australia, including a superb ball to remove Matthew Hayden in the second innings in Brisbane, but Mark Gillespie has taken his spot for the two-Test contest.
"The selectors feel I'm not doing the job at the moment and I need to get my pace back up, which I accept has been five or so kilometres below my peak, but still I'm a bit disappointed," Martin said in the Dominion Post. "They are picking guys who are in form and they have told me they want someone to run in and ruffle the tailenders.
"Dizzy [Gillespie] is good at that and I didn't do that in Adelaide. We struggled to clean out their lower order, but I felt I opened the door a few times against them in the series with top-order wickets."
Dion Nash, one of the selectors, told Martin of his demotion and his next engagement will be Saturday's game between Auckland and Otago at Eden Park. "I'm copping it reasonably sweet at the moment, but behind closed doors I'm doing a little bit of venting," Martin said. "I was told to get the Auckland game under my belt and that I'm still No. 1 when I'm going well, but at the moment the feeling is I'm a little off my best."