The former England goalkeeper and current England over-60s cricketer Nigel Martyn has opened up about swapping his football gloves for a red England cricket cap, describing the feeling of hitting a match-winning six as equal to any moment on the football pitch.
A new sporting chapter
Martyn, who was English football's first £1m goalkeeper, made 846 club appearances across three decades, played in two World Cups and an FA Cup final. But now, at 59, he is relishing a new challenge: representing his country in senior cricket.
Reflecting on a memorable six he hit in the Airedale & Wharfedale senior cricket league, Martyn said: “Wow. I remember that feeling was… yeah. That was as good as any feeling that I had on a football field.” He recalled the tense finish: “It was right down to the wire, I think we had one wicket left and it was almost pitch black. The ball before I had not seen at all. I decided to just swing at the next one and somehow I really middled it! If I close my eyes I can almost feel it now. Then it was pandemonium.”
When reminded of his role in David Beckham's iconic free-kick against Greece in 2001 — Martyn's long ball led to the foul — he laughed: “That was a horrible final few minutes. The lads in defence kept passing the ball back to me, inviting all this pressure on. I kept thinking: ‘Rio, don’t give it back to me, get it up there!’” The euphoria was delayed as he didn’t initially know England had qualified.
From football to cricket
After a serious ankle injury ended his football career in 2006, Martyn took up wicketkeeping. He had been a promising young cricketer in St Austell but was unable to play during his professional football career. “I didn’t take it seriously enough at first and ended up tearing one of my hamstrings pretty badly,” he said. With encouragement from his daughter, a physio, he began training again.
Martyn now plays for Scarcroft Cricket Club in Yorkshire and represents Cornwall’s over-50s, making an 800-mile round trip weekly. His dedication has earned him a place in England’s over-60s Lions squad, where he will make his debut against Scotland.
Paul Bradley, England over-60s manager, said: “He’ll be presented with a red cap on Friday for the match versus Scotland. If he makes it into the first team, which I’m sure he will at some point, then he’ll get the blue cap and be able to call himself a dual international.”
Martyn said: “It’s a real honour to be selected. These guys are super fit and really strong cricketers, there’s no doddery old men or anything like that. These older gents could give blokes decades younger than them a run for their money.”
Turning 60 in August, Martyn hopes to play in a World Cup or ‘Grey Ashes’ one day. “Fitness is never guaranteed when you get to my age so anything could happen,” he added.
Martyn is keen for his selection to highlight senior cricket, which receives no ECB funding. “We’ve got 135 teams from 36 counties competing in 60s and 70s age groups,” Bradley said proudly. “When it comes to the England squads we select on talent alone, not on favouritism.”
