The former England goalkeeper and current England over-60s cricketer Nigel Martyn has swapped his football gloves for a red cricket cap, earning selection for the national senior team. Martyn, who turns 60 in August, will make his debut for the England Lions on Friday at Seaton Carew in County Durham.
A six to remember
Martyn, who played for Leeds, Everton, and Crystal Palace, as well as earning 23 caps for England, recalled a memorable six he hit in a club cricket match for Leeds Modernians in the Airedale & Wharfedale senior league. “I once hit a six in very murky conditions to win a game which got us promoted,” he said. “That was as good as any feeling that I had on a football field.” He described the moment as pandemonium, with the ball barely visible in the pitch-black conditions.
Football memories
Despite being part of one of English football's most iconic moments—David Beckham's last-minute free-kick against Greece in 2001 to qualify for the World Cup—Martyn insists the cricket six rivals it. “That was a horrible final few minutes,” he said of the Greece match, recalling how defenders kept passing back to him under pressure. The euphoria of qualification was delayed for him, as he only learned later that Germany had drawn with Finland.
From goalkeeper to wicketkeeper
After a serious ankle injury ended his football career in 2006, Martyn returned to cricket, a sport he loved as a youth in St Austell. He initially struggled with fitness, tearing a hamstring, but with encouragement from his daughter—a physio for Harlequins—he trained hard. “I’ve never been much of a runner, but I always loved diving around and catching balls,” he said. He now plays for Scarcroft in Yorkshire and midweek for Cornwall's over-50s, completing an 800-mile round trip weekly.
Senior cricket call-up
Martyn's dedication paid off with selection for England's over-60s team. Paul Bradley, the team 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, he’ll get the blue cap and be able to call himself a dual international.” Martyn described the trial at Loughborough as impressive, noting the high fitness levels of the players. “These older gents could give blokes decades younger than them a run for their money,” he said.
Martyn hopes to play in a World Cup or 'Grey Ashes' in the future but is taking it one step at a time. He rarely gets sledged in club cricket, though one opponent once listed famous goalkeepers while he was batting. He also recalled a match where fellow former Leeds and England keeper Paul Robinson played for Knaresborough after Martyn's team was short of players. “There were a few quizzical faces that day,” he said, adding that he handed Robinson his spikes after the match.
Martyn is keen for his selection to highlight senior cricket, which relies on sponsorship and player funding. “We’ve got 135 teams from 36 counties competing in 60s and 70s age groups,” Bradley said. “When it comes to the England squads we select on talent alone.”
