Martin started playing cricket when he was 5 and continued with a few minor breaks until he was 65. He has played across the UK from Dorset to Northumberland and Suffolk to Aberdeenshire. Living in Yorkshire for 3 years resulted in him playing 65 games a season and he was quite fit as a result. His bowling was on average better than his batting where his golden ducks exceeded his hundreds by quite a margin but he did make a hundred twice although the first time took him 40 years of trying!
Martin holds a plant science degree from Leeds University and an agricultural biology research degree from Newcastle University. He retired in 2019, prior to that he worked for the RSPB for nearly 30 years, latterly as regional director in East Scotland. Earlier jobs were for a university, a national park and a wildlife trust.
Currently he chairs Ury Riverside Park SCIO in Inverurie. He was a member of the team that set up the North East Scotland Cricket SCIO which took over the role of the Aberdeenshire Cricket Association. He is very keen to see young people take up the sport and develop into the best cricketers they can and want to be and, should they wish, going all the way to playing for Scotland.