*As posted from another thread*
As for Marto, yeh he was a touch unlucky considering he hasn't much time left in his career (compared to MC), but I suppose a lot of his runs came in games where other players scored the runs as well. Eg, scoring 105 when the team scores 580.
I used to hate marto cause he always used to score runs when you didn't need him to - when the team is winning and not in those pressure situations. He has since showed (the India series) then to be a very classy and mentally tough batsman, worthy of the test player of the year.
But in both forms, over the year, Clarke was the better player - with the bat, with the ball, and in the field. Clarke's batting position in both forms of the game were at 6 (and usually 7 in one-dayers)(before the vb series) and considering the fact that he has often limited time to get set - e.g. establish a partnership and play his game with <15 overs remaining he still maintains averages >48 in tests and one-dayers. If Martyn and Clarke had swapped positions and Clarke bat at 4 (the latter which will happen in the future) he would have this time to set himself and build large innings'. Martyn wouldn't.
Yes, Martyn is very unfortunate not to get the medal, but IMO his innings' rode too much on the back of other players' performances. Perhaps if Clarke didn't get that 75* the night before the medal was Marto's for the taking.
But clearly the medal was Clarkes.
