- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey may have pulled the plug on their international careers by saying they will never don the Baggy Green again, but Simon Katich hasn’t.
In the wake of Australia’s embarrassing and humiliating 1st innings effort in the 2nd Test at Lord’s, the 37-year-old has stated that he never retired from international cricket, and said that he will answer an SOS call if he gets a call from John Inverarity’s selection panel via Fairfax Media on Saturday morning.
“I never retired from international cricket,” Katich said. ”
I was told by [former chief selector, Andrew] Hilditch I was never going to be picked again for Australia in 2010 – although he did say the same thing to me in April 2007.”
Katich was recalled to the tour of the West Indies in 2008 and, from then till his last Test against England at Adelaide in December, 2010, he scored eight of his ten Test centuries, and 17 fifties, nearly 3000 runs, at an average over 50, becoming Australia’s most consistent, prolific and reliable batsman during the two-year period.
Hilditch has moved on and Inverarity runs the selection panel, on which captain Michael Clarke no longer sits.
Though it is widely rumoured that Clarke played a huge role in the sacking of Katich due to a nasty confrontation between the two after the 2009 New Year’s Test in the SCG change rooms, Katich did not believe Clarke was behind his dropping, rather taking aim at the selectors at the time (2011) who had made numerous personnel changes in the preceding months.
Katich, 37, has played nine matches for Lancashire this season, 13 innings, with one not out, and has scored 874 runs. He’s hit three centuries and has an average of 72.83 and a solid strike rate above 60. His highest score, 200, came on July 11 in his side’s win over Northamptonshire.
The selection of Chris Rogers in the side has made it clear that age is not a factor when it comes to regaining your spot. At the squad announcement in Sydney before the players left for England, Inverarity said that players performing well in county cricket could be brought into the side.
If that is the case, given Katich’s prolific county record this season and his mountain of experience in England, he has every chance of making his way back into the team.
The incident between Clarke and Katich in the SCG dressing rooms shouldn’t be a factor in deciding Katich’s fate. That incident was four years ago and both players should get over it, if they haven’t done so already.
It would be great to see Katich return to the Australian side and possibly open with Shane Watson to reform what was Australia’s most successful opening combination since Langer and Hayden. Or he could slot into the middle order and replace either Khawaja, Hughes or Smith and provide the reliable stability that Australia so desperately need.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.