Ex-black Cap gets ducks in a row for charity

An ex-black Cap turned Palmerston North Four Square owner is getting his ducks in a row for a celebrity art auction raising money for disabled children.

Former cricketer and cult hero Chris Martin has painted a picture of rows of ducks, a playful reference to his infamous batting record, for Parent to Parent’s charity fundraiser.

Fifteen celebrities, including Rocky Horror Show creator Richard O’brien, have contributed art, listed on Trade Me, to raise money for the charity, which supports families raising children with disabilities.

Martin was one of New Zealand’s top wicket-takers with the ball, taking 233 wickets over his career, but was less successful with bat in hand, scoring just 123 runs in 71 tests, including 36 ducks, when he failed to score a run.

Martin has the dubious distinction of being one of only two international cricketers to rack up fewer runs than wickets and only West Indies bowler Courtney Walsh made more ducks than him.

So, tongue in cheek, the cricketer turned dairy owner contributed a painting of 36 ducks, all in Four Square colours.

‘‘[It’s] not something to be proud of... [but] if there was a reason to celebrate sheer ineptitude with the bat in hand it would be this,’’ Martin said.

‘‘Besides, it being more work to paint all those wickets, it was just funnier to go with the ducks, which also had the best chance of getting as much as possible for the charity.

‘‘It’s a serious cause, but the best way to sell something is with a bit of humour.

‘‘And it’s a little bit kitsch. There’s enough people out there who like to have a few ducks on the wall. [But] it’s definitely going to be a cricket fan who buys it. There’s no real artistic merit to it.’’

Parent to Parent spokesman Steven Mahoney said it was the charity’s first art auction. He hoped it would be an annual event.

‘‘One of our other aims beyond raising funds is to raise awareness of what we are and what we do and how we can help families with disabilities,’’ Mahoney said.

* The Celebrity Art Auction runs on Trade Me until May 31.