Former Test opener Simon Katich believes the current Australia top-order should be given an extended chance to prove themselves at international level.
Katich, who made a successful return to Australian domestic cricket for Western Australia on Tuesday following an 18-month absence, said national selectors have to persevere with batsmen that have to nail down their position in the team.
“People have to be patient,” said Katich.
“It is not that easy to step into international cricket and perform straight away.
“Many guys in the past have taken time (to succeed). I know with myself it took a long time to feel comfortable at Test level.
“It doesn’t happen straight away, but if you are patient and persistent with players, hopefully at some point they will reward the selectors and keep churning out consistent runs.”
The 38-year-old provided another cameo of his ability in the one-day match against Victoria at North Sydney Oval, scoring a comfortable 67 off 58 deliveries before being caught in the deep as WA suffered a 59-run loss.
Katich, discarded by national selectors in 2011, continues to enjoy the kind of consistent run-making that would be the envy of many of Australia’s current international crop.
While Australia struggled in this year’s unsuccessful Ashes series, the 56-Test veteran peeled off over 1,000 runs for Lancashire at an average of 73, including four centuries.
Despite that 3-0 series loss against England, Katich is optimistic about the quality of young batsmen in Australia.
“There are some good kids floating around the state system,” he said.
“It is just a matter of them grabbing their opportunities and making the most of them, and as we have seen plenty of them are getting looked at.”
Katich agreed to turn out for four matches for Western Australia in this month’s one-day cup, but indicated further state appearances were unlikely.
Aakash bhat
Guest
They are mental patients
Maggie
Guest
Here we go again, same old tired 'it's all Michael Clarke's fault'. I wonder how many of those who make this allegation actually know anything about the situation at the time? Katich hid the extent of his Achilles injury from the selectors which then led to a disastrous run out in the first over of the last Test match in which he played, in Adelaide, and probably cost Australia any chance of a win. Michael Clarke was not a selector when the decision was made not to renew Katich's Cricket Australia contract. And Katich's form following his return to Sheffield Shield following his long lay-off from that injury turned out to be no more than average. He failed in several Sheffield Shield matches when the Blues needed him to make only a half decent score to get a win. He even made a duck in the grade cricket final at the end of the season when his team was in desperate trouble. He did have a fine career for Australia but he is not the hard-done by hero some of you pretend.
Clavers
Guest
And throw in Andrew Symonds and Phil Jacques.
Hookin' YT
Guest
Yes Annette, yes. A disgrace and so they deserve their failures.
Hookin' YT
Guest
+1
Praveen
Guest
Match is absolutely spot on, the younger guys such as Warner, smith, khawaja deserve more games in a row to show what they have got, and these comments were echoed by ponting and Hayden as well
Annette Bennett
Guest
There is only 2 words to explain why he isnt playing tests for Australia MICHAEL CLARK!
expathack
Guest
Katich, what a player. Absolute travesty he didn't play more Tests. Still think that the too-old-and-or-not-wanted-by-australia batting lineup at the time of the India tour would have gone far better than the one we sent: Katich, Rogers, Ponting, Hodge, Hussey M. Hussey D Obviously a couple of full retirements and one shining ray of common sense (hallelujah!) has gutted that lineup now. But it was kind of ridiculous to think about whilst watching the Indian horror show unfold....
Pope Paul VII
Guest
The Kat knows this well. In 2005 in England he copped a lot of unwarranted criticism.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Gawd. The Waca should just throw money at him to get him on board for the Shield. There is no outstanding senior player who is a role model for the youngsters in the squad..