A specialist middle-order batsman, Martin van Jaarsveld is a player who possesses a sound technique and gutsy attitude. Coached by his father, he toured Sri Lanka in 1998-99 representing South Africa A. He then joined Northerns.

A prolific 2001-02 season with them saw him amass 1,268 runs at a batting average of 74.58 which paved the way for his selection in the ODI and Test team. He made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2002. He scored 3 half-centuries in Tests. A string of inconsistent performances kept him out of the side which forced him to retire from international cricket. He joined as a Kolpak player for Kent and performed consistently. van Jaarsveld was named the PCA player of the year in 2008. He plays for Glamorgan in the county circuit and captains Titans in the Champions league.