By Tyler Lewis
After playing in 14 high-pressure grand finals, one would think David ‘Scabs’ Martin would be internally begging for the match-winning catch in his 500th match on Saturday.
But the truth is, he didn’t want a bar of it.
As he sat at deep cover at 6:20PM on Tyabb’s Bunguyan Reserve, the sun was slowly setting across the ground and was placed right in his eyes.
‘Don’t let it come to me, and me not see it because the sun is in my eyes and I drop it – that’ll be a great day wouldn’t it?’, was what was going through Martin’s mind when John Hile ran into bowl, with Tyabb needing just one run and Heatherhill just one wicket.
Fortunately for the milestone man – and Heatherhill – the match-winning catch went mid-wicket.
As for the lead in to the true half-tonne, Martin confirmed there was no ‘nervous 490s’ as his stand-alone fixture was washed out last week and rain appeared to hit again earlier in the week.
“Nah mate, after playing so many games, it is just another one,” Martin said.
“It would have been nice (to play the stand-alone), but as I said I am 57 (years old), so you just get on with it.
“When you’re younger, you mind about these sorts of things but when you get older it is a bit more about the guys you play with, the fun you have and deflecting the attention, I suppose you say.”
While he donned the 2005/06 Provincial seconds premiership cap in his milestone match, Martin admitted to a much earlier premiership as one of his favourites, among his outrageous collection of eight flags.
“Yeah it is a long time,” he joked of his 500 matches.
“I think it is just the love of the mateship and it is just what you have done since you were a kid.
“Summer comes around, you get around the boys and play, I have always been pretty competitive so it’s just what you do.
“When I was captain of the ‘87/88 Provincial firsts one, that was pretty special.
“They’re all pretty special, but I played in a flag with my son in the Provincial seconds as well.
“All of them are special because you have all the photos that you can look back on down the track, have a beer and celebrate the memories with the boys,” Martin said.
As for if he had 550 or 600 in him, ‘Scabs’ hinted that it is a change if he can keep off the injury list.
“I only just filtered down the grades from the seconds a year and a half ago or so,” he said.
“As I said, being 57, the younger guys – it’s their turn to shine in the sun.
“Look I mow lawns for a living so it keeps me pretty fit, as long as the body holds up, I will keep plodding along.”
