Quack quack quack

Hurrah for Chris Martin. No, not the drip from dreary Coldplay ("save the world, plant a tree" - call that Rock and Roll?) but the New Zealand fast bowler who is fast becoming the anti-Bradman with his heroic hapless efforts with the bat. Martin has just completed a two-Test series in South Africa with no runs to his name from four innings (although his final innings yesterday was nought not out) and he faced a grand sum of 11 balls. Martin actually batted at No 10 twice in the series, but only because two of his team-mates got injured.

Martin made the error of scoring seven runs in his first Test, thus denying himself a perfect career average, but he has been working hard to send his batting average back towards zero ever since. After 48 innings he now averages 2.00 and although England will try hard to deny him after Christmas looks good to be heading towards 1 in the next 12 months. His past 13 innings have garnered six runs.

With 20 career ducks he is some way behind Courtney Walsh's world record of 43, but that was in 185 innings. In fact, Martin has had fewer ducks in his career so far than Steve Waugh, 22, but Waugh balanced them with an indecent career average of some 50 runs higher than Martin.

However, Martin already holds the record for the most pairs - five - and given faith by the New Zealand selectors he can claim Walsh's record in the next couple of years.

Comments

[Mr A Nel]

Kidd,

If you were actually a witness to the events, rather than being all cosied up in a palatial office at the Times, squeaking around on your Chesterfield and sipping Pimms, you would know to cut Chris some slack.

The poor bugger is terrified of me.

When you consider that he shares that particular condition with blokes like Tendulkar, Ponting, Lara and Pietersen, is it too much to ask for some sympathy from the likes of you?

Get a grip.