Martyn resurfaces to join Ashes celebrations

Sydney, Jan 6 (UNI) For the first time after his shocking retirement, the reclusive Damien Martyn came face to face with his former teammates when he dropped in at the Australian dressing room following their 5-0 Ashes triumph, leaving Ricky Ponting and Co.

shell-shocked.

Martyn, who announced his retirement after the second Ashes Test at Perth and flew out of the country to avoid media attention, walked into the Aussie dressing room while the team was busy celebrating their first Ashes whitewash in 86 years.

According to a report in the 'Sydney Morning Herald', the former middle-order bat was embraced by Matthew Hayden amid an emotional reception by the rest of the team before he stopped for a brief conversation with captain Ricky Ponting.

''It was emotional. As emotional as anything you saw out on the field yesterday,'' the newspaper quoted a team source as saying.

Meanwhile, Martyn's close confidant Alan Jones has hit back at rumours that a spat with Hayden and Justin Langer after the second Test was the primary reason behind the right-hander's shocking decision to call it quits.

''That's utter, utter fabrication. Utter fabrication. That comes under the category of capital C, capital R, capital A and capital P,'' Jones was quoted by the 'Herald Sun' as saying.

''Justin would confirm that, Matthew Hayden would confirm that.

Where that has come from is anybody's guess,'' he added as he ridiculed the rumours.

Jones, who is radio broadcaster, said Martyn had already spelled out his reasons of quitting to Cricket Australia leaving no room for any speculation.

''He believed he indicated clearly to the Australian selectors why he was leaving the game. It was in the best interests of cricket, in the best interests of the team, in the best interests of him,'' he explained.

''The team had to get on and win the Ashes and the right thing for him was to stay out of all of that, which is what he has done.

He felt to continue on at that point would have put the team at risk and the whole Ashes campaign at risk,'' he added.

Jones also rejected reports that Martyn kept his team mates in dark about the reasons for his retirement and said the right-hander made every effort to communicate himself to the rest of the players after announcing the decision.

''He knew if he had spoken to players, they would have tried to talk him out of it. That wouldn't have been good for the team, that wouldn't have been good for him. This nonsense about not communicating -- he has been in touch with everybody. He has texted people, talked to players, they have had some laughs,'' he said.

UNI