Katich retires from first-class cricket

Updated June 12, 2012 15:41:56

Former Australian opening batsman Simon Katich is retiring from first class cricket.

Katich, 36, is in England playing county cricket with Hampshire.

He will play for the Perth Scorchers in the Champions League Twenty20 in October but will not return for the Big Bash or for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield and one-day competitions.

A Cricket Australia statement said Katich was looking to spend more time at home with his family.

"The WACA and Cricket NSW have provided wonderful cricketing environments and amazing opportunities for Simon to play under great coaches, with terrific players and surrounded by dedicated support staff," the statement said.

"He wishes to thank them all for the camaraderie and support over the last 16 years and for the chance to play in winning teams.

"With a young family and a desire for an extended time at home, Simon has decided it is time to reassess his priorities."

Little more than a year ago, Katich was seen as a crucial part of the national team, having played 56 Tests for Australia, opening the bat and scoring over 4,000 runs at an average of 45.03.

But he fell out with captain Michael Clarke after reportedly grabbing the new Test skipper by the throat in the dressing room. The incident led to Katich's axing from Cricket Australia's contract list.

He was reprimanded last December for publicly stating he would never be able to get back into the Australian side while Clarke remained on the selection panel.

Katich was replaced by, among others, fellow New South Wales team-mate Phil Hughes.

But despite the young opener's mediocre form, Katich was never recalled to the Test line-up.

He began his Sheffield Shield career with Western Australia but joined the Blues in 2002.

Katich was recently axed as Blues skipper as New South Wales looked to blood younger leaders, but he maintained his exemplary record in Sheffield Shield cricket, hitting 483 runs and averaging 43.90 last season.

The opener notched over 19,000 first class runs over his career.

"Simon's contribution to New South Wales cricket was quite simply outstanding," Cricket New South Wales chairman Harry Harinath said.

"Not only was he a superb batsman, with a state and international record to rival the best, but he was a brilliant leader who was respected by all who played with him," he said.

Tags: cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted June 12, 2012 11:14:11

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Katich ready for recall, says manager

Updated December 15, 2011 21:41:18

Simon Katich's manager Robert Joske says the opening batsman would be "willing, ready and able" to assume his place in the Australian top order if selectors performed a sensational backflip and recalled him for the Boxing Day Test.

Responding to reports that Australian captain Michael Clarke wants Katich considered again, Joske said he had no reason to believe the door was not open for the experienced left-hander.

Joske said Katich has not been contacted by the Australian selectors but would be excited by the opportunity if the speculation was accurate.

"If it's the fact that Michael is talking about Simon in the selection committee meetings I'm very excited and I'm sure Simon would be excited when he hears about it," said Joske.

"He's been at a fan day all day in Perth so he probably doesn't even know about it. But my perspective is the coach and the chairman of selectors both said the door was open to Simon and probably now is a very good time for him to walk through it."

It would be an incredible turn of events if Katich was recalled to face India.

He was controversially dropped from the Test team and cut from his Cricket Australia contract after the Ashes series.

Clarke and Katich were also famously involved in a dressing-room altercation after the 2009 Sydney Test.

After making a century early in the current Sheffield Shield season, Katich made a comment to the media - which he was reprimanded for by Cricket Australia - that he would never make it back in the Australian side while Clarke was captain.

Clarke responded while on tour in South Africa by saying the door was not shut on Katich, but he was not going to make it back into the team any time soon with public statements like that.

After Australia's crushing defeat to New Zealand in Hobart and the likely dropping of opener Phil Hughes, Joske is hopeful Katich is back on the radar.

"I would hope that everyone's considering Simon as a very good option moving forward," he said.

"He's still one of the best performed batsmen in the world.

"We're very excited by that news if in fact that is what's happening and I've got no reason to believe (otherwise)."

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, australia

First posted December 15, 2011 21:39:58

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Katich rested ahead of CA hearing

Updated December 02, 2011 19:14:37

Simon Katich will be rested from the New South Wales side to play a one-day cup match against Tasmania on Sunday, as he prepares for his disciplinary hearing in Melbourne on Monday.

Katich's manager Robert Joske has confirmed Blues management granted a request to allow the former Test opener to miss Sunday's match at Manuka Oval in Canberra but he would be back for the Sheffield Shield match at the same venue starting on Tuesday.

Katich was reported by Cricket Australia after telling reporters on October 29 he believed his physical clash with Michael Clarke in a 2009 SCG Test dressing room confrontation was a factor in his axing from the list of nationally-contracted players.

New South Wales squad: Ben Rohrer (captain), Trent Copeland, Tim Cruickshank, Luke Doran, Nathan Hauritz, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Phil Jaques, Josh Lalor, Nic Maddinson, Peter Nevill, Daniel Smith, Steven Smith

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, sydney-2000

First posted December 02, 2011 15:38:49

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Aussies clear air over Katich dumping

Posted July 8, 2011 17:25:00

A frank player meeting called by Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has cleared the air after Simon Katich's controversial axing ahead of their tour of Sri Lanka.

The fall-out over the veteran Test opener's inglorious dumping threatened to distract the team ahead of next month's tour.

After missing out on a Cricket Australia (CA) contract, Katich sensationally revealed there was unease within the Test team about selection decisions, while Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson expressed their surprise over the opener's treatment.

But Clarke claimed every player was on the same page ahead of the Sri Lankan tour after starting an Australian training camp in Brisbane with an honesty session.

"We had a couple of really good meetings on Sunday night, which were really open in an environment where guys were comfortable to voice their opinion," he said.

"It was a closed environment which gave everyone the freedom to be themselves and say what they feel, get everything on the table - it was very positive.

"I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to say what they had to say and take it on board - as a group, we can now work together.

"We all walked out of that looking forward to what was in front of us."

Australian coach Tim Nielsen admitted this week Katich's axing was a clear sign national selectors wanted to "regenerate" the team.

But Clarke said players will not be "looking over their shoulder" on the Sri Lankan tour, where he will make his debut as full-time Test captain.

"Not at all. The boys are now feeling very comfortable," he said.

"What has come from this camp is not only some hard work but everyone getting behind each other to work toward our goal of having as much success as we can.

"Unfortunately in this game, some people do get dropped but it is about supporting your mates and getting the best out of your team."

Australia will play two Twenty20s, five one-dayers and three Tests in Sri Lanka from August.

The T20 and ODI squads have been named, but the Test squad will not be announced until later this month.

T20 players fly out on July 30 and the remaining one-day squad members on August 5.

Clarke hopes the Sri Lankan tour starts a new era in Australian cricket, especially with former players Steve Rixon, Craig McDermott and Justin Langer added to the coaching staff.

This followed a sweeping CA review of the cricket team and operations in light of the resounding Ashes' loss.

"We've got some new coaching staff and some new exciting youngsters in the squad," Clarke said.

"I guess it is a new start and we are all looking forward to getting as much success in all three forms as we can."

One of the youngsters singled out by Clarke is young quick James Pattinson, named in both the one-day and T20 squads for Sri Lanka.

The 21-year-old has already made his ODI debut in Bangladesh in April, taking 1-39.

"He looks much fitter and stronger than he did in Bangladesh and I thought he did pretty well over there - he has a bright future," Clarke said.

- AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, sri-lanka

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Watson questions Katich axing

Updated June 29, 2011 22:29:00

Australian vice-captain Shane Watson has voiced his bafflement over Cricket Australia's (CA) decision to dump batting partner Simon Katich from its list of 25 contracted players.

The record-breaking Watson described 35-year-old Katich as a "mate" and said the experienced left-hander had up to two years of international-level cricket left in him.

"I was very disappointed to be totally honest because I've built up a really good friendship and opening partnership with Simon over the last two years and I've had a lot of fun batting with him," said Watson, 30, who was in Hong Kong to promote the International Cricket Council's (ICC) five-day annual conference.

Katich, a 56-Test veteran, was told earlier this month that he had been cut from CA's 25-man list of contracted players for the 2011-12 season, despite being one of the country's most consistent performers.

Katich branded the decision "absolutely ridiculous" and Watson backed him, saying: "For me, it was really disappointing because I still felt that he had another at least year or two of good cricket still in him."

"Being an opening partnership you do become a lot closer because you are taking on the best bowlers in the world together and you need a mate out there to be able to help you out," he added.

Watson's criticism of the selectors' decision follows a similar broadside from former Test skipper Ricky Ponting, who said two weeks ago he was shocked by CA's snub to Katich.

Watson emerged as the key opener after the retirements of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, hammering back-to-back centuries against England and New Zealand to help his side win the 2009 Champions Trophy in South Africa.

The right-handed all-rounder hit a world-record 15 sixes in his unbeaten 185 off 96 balls as Australia defeated Bangladesh by nine wickets in March.

Watson was named vice-captain, with captain Michael Clarke replacing Ponting as skipper, following Australia's World Cup exit.

Seeking a fourth successive title, Australia was knocked out in the quarter-finals when they lost to India in Ahmedabad in March.

The disappointment followed the bitter blow of the home Ashes series loss to old rivals England.

"I think Michael's going to do an excellent job," Watson said, backing his captain.

"He's got a great knowledge of the game of cricket, he's very aggressive in the way he captains and the way he sets his field."

Watson said it was not yet clear who his new opening partner would be.

- AFP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia

First posted June 29, 2011 22:14:00

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Katich hits out over 'ridiculous' axing

Updated June 10, 2011 12:56:00

Dumped Australian opener Simon Katich has hit out over his omission from Cricket Australia's list of contracted players, labelling it 'absolutely ridiculous'.

The 35-year-old, one of Australia's most consistent performers over past seasons, was told by chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch on Tuesday that he had been axed so the Test team could focus on bedding down a new opening partnership.

A fuming Katich, who averages 45.03 from 56 Tests, said he was "disappointed and frustrated" by what he felt were "inconsistent selection policies" coming out of Cricket Australia.

"I also want to make it clear that I know I'm not the only player that's gone through this in the last couple of years due to inconsistent selection policies," he told a press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"I just hope that something good comes out of this situation, because I actually think the decision that came on Tuesday was absolutely ridiculous."

Katich had no doubt his age was a determining factor.

"I've got a massive feeling that my age played a big part in it," he said.

"Look, obviously that's never going to be mentioned because of the legalities of it all.

"But I know that in my last three seasons I've got the numbers on the board, I've enjoyed playing in the team, and to be told that it was because the opening partnership needed to be bedded down before the 2013 Ashes just doesn't sit well with me."

Katich said inconsistency and indecision was a concerning trend in Cricket Australia selection policy.

"The facts are, a week or two before the Ashes, a squad of 17 was named," he said.

"Now in my opinion, if you can't know what your best XI is a week or so before our biggest Test series that we play in, the Ashes, then that to me reeks of indecision.

"The fact that we've had 10 or 11 different spinners in the last two years or three years or whatever it's been - obviously some have been through retirements and injury and stuff like that - but that to me is another indicator of the inconsistency in selections.

"There's been rules for some and rules for others."

Katich confirmed he had pondered retirement but opted to play on for New South Wales out of respect for his team-mates, and said he had not completely ruled out a return to the international arena.

The gritty left-hander had formed a successful opening partnership with Shane Watson, but an Achilles tendon injury suffered during the second Adelaide Test against England forced him to miss the remainder of the Ashes series, won 3-1 by the tourists.

"To be given the reason that it's because the opening partnership needs to be down for 2013, when I know for a fact that Watto and I have thoroughly enjoyed opening together and it's been one of the bright spots in our team the last two years - I find it very hard to believe that," Katich said.

"The system at the moment - it's not only just affecting me - but it's also affected a number of players.

"I'm just one of a number of players in Australian cricket over the last number of years that has had to go through this process."

Katich said he had given his opinion on a review into Australian cricket which was opened following the Ashes debacle, but was not allowed to reveal specific details.

But he left no doubt as to his current thoughts on Cricket Australia.

"I know how they operate and I could see it coming," he said.

"I've only had a four-minute conversation with Andrew Hilditch on Tuesday and I haven't heard from anyone else at Cricket Australia since, and I've been involved with the organisation since 1999."

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted June 10, 2011 11:13:00

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Katich axed from CA contract list

Updated June 7, 2011 17:19:00

Simon Katich's Test career appears over after he was left out of Cricket Australia's contracted players' list for the 2011-12 season.

The 56-Test opening batsman and Marcus North were the notable omissions from the 25-player list, released by Cricket Australia.

The newcomers offered a central contract were Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, John Hastings, David Hussey, Usman Khawaja, Jason Krejza and James Pattinson.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said his panel felt it was opportune to initiate a new opening partnership in time for the next Ashes series against England in two years' time and there was now no room for 35-year-old Katich.

"Simon has been a fantastic player for Australia and a key and successful member of the Test team in recent years," Hilditch said.

"However, amongst other matters, the selectors' panel felt it was the right time now to start blooding our next opening partnership in preparation for the Ashes.

"The opening partnership is critical to the success of any team and takes time to develop the necessary experience at international level.

"We feel it is important this change is made now as we prepare for the challenges ahead."

Katich's demotion offers another chance for Phillip Hughes, 22, to open the Australian innings along with Shane Watson.

Young pacemen, Victoria's Pattinson, 21, and Cummins, 18, of New South Wales, were given their chance to regenerate Australia's fast bowling attack by gaining contracts.

"James has tasted international cricket and we see him as a young man of immense talent who is made of the right stuff to succeed at the higher level," Hilditch said.

"Patrick is an exceptional talent who has impressed with his opportunities to date for NSW and it will be very exciting to watch his progress."

Senior batsman Ricky Ponting, 36, and Mike Hussey, 36, retained their contracts with Hilditch saying he envisioned them mentoring the younger players coming through.

Spinners Doherty and Krezja were added to the contract list along with off spinner Nathan Hauritz and leg spinner Steven Smith.

Batsman Khawaja, 24, who made his Test debut in last summer's failed home Ashes series, also received his first full contract.

"We see him as a very important player for the future of Australian cricket," Hilditch said.

Others not to have their contracts renewed for next season were James Hopes, Andrew McDonald, Clint McKay, Shaun Tait and Adam Voges.

"The next 12 months is a very important period in Australian cricket," Hilditch said.

"It will undoubtedly be a tough and demanding period as we play three of the worldG??s top four Test nations during away series against Sri Lanka and South Africa and home series against New Zealand and India.

"However we see it as a very exciting opportunity to commence regaining Australia's leading position in world cricket."

Contract list: Doug Bollinger (NSW, 29), Michael Clarke (NSW, 30), Patrick Cummins (NSW, 18), Xavier Doherty (TAS, 28), Callum Ferguson (SA, 26), Brad Haddin (NSW, 33), Ryan Harris (QLD, 31), John Hastings (VIC, 25), Nathan Hauritz (NSW, 29), Ben Hilfenhaus (TAS, 28), Phillip Hughes (NSW, 22), David Hussey (VIC, 33), Michael Hussey (WA, 36), Mitchell Johnson (WA, 29), Usman Khawaja (NSW, 24), Jason Krejza (TAS, 28), Brett Lee (NSW, 34), Shaun Marsh (WA, 27), Tim Paine (TAS, 26), James Pattinson (VIC, 21), Ricky Ponting (TAS, 36), Peter Siddle (VIC, 26), Steven Smith (NSW, 22), Shane Watson (NSW, 29), Cameron White (VIC, 27)

-AFP

Tags: sport, cricket, nsw, sydney-2000, wa, perth-6000

First posted June 7, 2011 15:57:00

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Katich dropping raises serious questions

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 12/06/2011

Reporter: Barrie Cassidy

The panel discuss the dropping of Simon Katich and other recent decisions by Australian cricket selectors.

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Cricket selectors ditch Katich

Published:Tuesday, June 7, 2011 7:21 AESTExpires:Monday, September 5, 2011 7:21 AEST

Cricket Australia has cited age as a major factor in the decision to drop 36-year-old batsman Simon Katich as a contract player.

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Katich expresses anger over dumping

Published:Friday, June 10, 2011 7:21 AESTExpires:Thursday, September 8, 2011 7:21 AEST

Sacked veteran batsman Simon Katich has criticised Cricket Australia after a decision was made that his contract would not be renewed.

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Sutherland plays straight bat on Katich

Updated June 10, 2011 17:58:00

Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland has deflected criticism over dumped opener Simon Katich's omission from the list of Australian contracted players.

Katich hit out on Friday morning, labelling his axing from the Test team as "absolutely ridiculous" and criticising the National Selection Panel's policies as "inconsistent".

But Sutherland defended the NSP's moves and said he would not stand for any criticism of the integrity of the selection process.

"It's true that in a selection sense, everyone is entitled to their opinions about selection," he said.

"But ultimately the opinions that really count are [those of] the National Selection Panel and I reject any criticism of them in terms of their individual integrity, their collective integrity and the integrity of the process they go through in making decisions about who the best team is, the best players are, the best squad is, for Australian cricket into the future."

The Cricket Australia boss also moved to reassure that there has not been any other criticism from players about how contracts are handed out.

"I don't think there's discontent in regards to the selection process," he said.

"One thing that I do know is that there is a review underway at the moment, the team performance review chaired by Don Argus, and certainly Simon together with a number of other players have had the opportunity to present to the panel and speak on their views.

"It's premature to talk about views or findings out of that review but Simon certainly expressed his views as have other players, as have other people connected with Australian cricket and the Australian cricket team and in due course findings will be made public."

A fuming Katich, who averages 45.03 from 56 Tests, said he was "disappointed and frustrated" by what he felt were "inconsistent selection policies" coming out of Cricket Australia.

"I also want to make it clear that I know I'm not the only player that's gone through this in the last couple of years due to inconsistent selection policies," Katich told a press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"I just hope that something good comes out of this situation, because I actually think the decision that came on Tuesday was absolutely ridiculous."

But Sutherland held no grudges, saying the 35-year-old is an asset to the sport.

"I spoke to this earlier on in the week and the comments I made at that time stand - Simon Katich is a fantastic player, he still is a fantastic player, he still has a lot to offer Australian cricket," he said.

"He's highly respected here and around the world and I would anticipate that he still has a huge amount to offer Australian cricket both as a player and down the track in other capacities as well.

"I can understand he's extremely disappointed at the news he's received this week and I really do sympathise with him on that basis."

Sutherland refused to be drawn on whether Katich would have a "black line through his name" for future roles.

"It's not for me to comment on that; as I say I think that Simon's a fantastic player, he's still got a lot to offer Australian cricket in whatever capacity," he said.

"It's really up to him.

"I think it's fantastic news that he's continuing on as a player for New South Wales and I'm sure that he has, knowing him, he has the grit in his teeth to ensure that he sends a very strong message to selectors and I'm sure the door's not entirely closed on him."

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted June 10, 2011 16:40:00

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