Kiwi spinner shocked by domestic snub
New Zealand Test spinner Bruce Martin was shocked to find himself out of as much as a domestic contract this week, as Auckland opted to give his place in the 15-man contract list to Tarun Nethula instead.
New Zealand Test spinner Bruce Martin was shocked to find himself out of as much as a domestic contract this week, as Auckland opted to give his place in the 15-man contract list to Tarun Nethula instead.
Martin made his debut in March 2013 against England, and went on to play five Tests. The last of which was against Bangladesh in October, and in 2014 he only played nine matches for Auckland.
Martin told <i>Dominion Post</i>: "I saw the New Zealand thing coming because the Bangladesh tour wasn't a great tour for me. But I thought I had a massive part to play in the Auckland team, especially them being a young side.
"I was keen to push on. I'd had a good couple of seasons and I wasn't far off 400 first-class wickets (he has 355).
"I thought by pushing me out, Auckland were making room for Bhupinder Singh, then they got Tarun Nethula in, who is about as old [31] as I am, so it's a funny one.
"I'm a bit gutted. It came as a surprise. But it's professional sport. It comes and goes, so I can't really complain."
Martin then added that injuries probably hadn't helped his cause, but that he thought his rehab for a knee injury had been going well. Obviously the team bosses though otherwise, he said.
"I played a bit injured last season in the four-dayers and wasn't as good as I should have been. I probably paid for that in the end, so it is what it is," he added.
"My rehab [tendonitis in the knee] was going real well. But the management told me 'we don't think your rehab is going very well so we aren't going to contract you'.
"They got me in a meeting. We talked about my goals and they said 'we aren't going to contract you', so it was unexpected."
Latest
-
News
On this day in 2018: Australian trio banned after ball-tampering saga
The trio were handed their punishments on March 28, 2018.
-
County Cricket
Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware
Stewart has guided Surrey to three County Championship wins during his decade in charge.
-
Women's Cricket
Maia Bouchier smashes 91 as England Women seal T20 series victory
England made 177 for three and then restricted New Zealand to 130 for seven.
-
County Cricket
Yorkshire boosted by Harry Brook and Joe Root’s early-season availability
Both players are not at the Indian Premier League.
-
England
Ollie Pope ‘itching’ to get back scoring runs after ‘frustrating’ tour of India
The England vice-captain hit a superb 196 in Hyderabad, but averaged only 14.75 in the next four Tests of the India series.
-
Women's Cricket
Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return
Australia will host England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes early next year.
-
County Cricket
Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign
Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons.
-
England
England spinner Tom Hartley expects his exploits in India to be ‘life changing’
Hartley’s second-innings haul of seven for 62 in Hyderabad delivered one England’s greatest ever overseas victories.
-
Women's Cricket
Heather Knight urges more composure from England after New Zealand collapse
The tourists needed just 29 from 29 balls with eight wickets in hand.
-
Australia
On this day in 2018: Australia ‘sandpapergate’ ball-tampering controversy erupts
The incident led to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being banned from playing for Australia.