Well wishes are flowing for the 2003 World Cup winner after he was hospitalised in Brisbane with a serious illness
Damien Martyn has made a “miraculous turnaround” since coming out of an induced coma while suffering a bout of meningitis, Adam Gilchrist has said.
The global cricket community rallied around the 54-year-old former Australia batter as news broke of his health battle, but is now expected to be moved out of the intensive care unit at the Gold Coast University Hospital.
“It’s been an unbelievable turn of events in the last 48 hours,” Gilchrist said in a statement on Sunday night. “He is now able to talk and respond to treatment.
“He has responded extraordinarily well since coming out of the coma to the point where his family feels it’s like some sort of miracle.
“It has been so positive that they’re hopeful he will be able to move out of the ICU into another part of the hospital which is representative of what a great recovery it’s been and how quickly it has flipped around.
“He’s in good spirits and overwhelmed by the support. There is still some treatment and monitoring to go but it’s looking positive.
“His wife Amanda just really wants to say to everyone she is convinced that the love, goodwill and sense of care that they felt from everybody, via messages and via the coverage in the press really helped him.
“They just feel blessed so many people have wanted to support him in his time in need.
“He will remain in hospital and continue to receive treatment but the turnaround has been miraculous.”
Gilchrist is a close friend and former Australian and WA teammate of Martyn.
The 2003 World Cup-winner’s seemingly effortless stroke play was his calling card, averaging 46.37 with the bat across 67 Tests for Australia.
Born in Darwin, the right-hander earned a Test debut at 21, replacing the late Dean Jones in the 1992-93 home series against West Indies and was Western Australia’s captain at 23.
He was player of the series the last time Australia won an away series in India, top scoring in four of Australia’s eight innings in the 2004 Border-Gavaskar Trophy battle.
His high score of 165 came against New Zealand in 2005, one of 13 Test centuries Martyn made during his time in the Baggy Green.
Martyn played his final Test in Australia’s famous win at Adelaide Oval in the 2006-07 Ashes series before suddenly retiring ahead of the third Test of a 5-0 whitewash over England.
Martyn also excelled in the 50-over format during a 16-year career at the top level and averaged more than 40 in 208 ODIs for Australia.
He was part of Australia’s team that won the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, scoring an unbeaten 88 in a 234-run stand with captain Ricky Ponting in the final against India.
Martyn dabbled in commentary in retirement but has mostly kept out of the limelight in recent years.
