Dropping Katich a mistake, CA admits

[rkt.india]

Cricket Australia admitted it was a mistake to drop Simon Katich from the contracted list of players almost two and a half years after the southpaw's career was effectively over. Australia have for the past two years struggled to find a consistent opening combination. Katich, who scored 4188 runs from 56 Tests at an average of 45.03 and hit 10 centuries found his name struck off a 25-man list soon after Michael Clarke took charge as captain from Ricky Ponting. Katich had got into an infamous row with Clarke in the dressing-room not long ago but CA had said Katich was being removed from the central contract to blood more youngsters. However, the lack of any young batting talent forced the National Selection Panel to call up a 35-year-old Chris Rogers to open the batting in the Ashes series in England. Besides, the Baggy Greens would have certainly felt Katich's absence over the last 24 months, which saw Australia getting hammered 0-4 in India. While Ponting termed the decision "as dumb a non-selection as any during my time in the Australian team" in his autobiography, 'At the Close of Play', CA chairman Wally Edwards also admitted sidelining Katich was a mistake. "We as a board, and with management talk continuously about our transition, we knew we were going from a super side to a new side, and we worked very hard at it. There was a focus with the selectors and there was a lot of decisions made that in hindsight you probably wish they weren't. But they were made with an attempt to move from a very strong side to a new side," Edwards said after the board's AGM. "I would put the dropping of Simon Katich in that corner. That was a decision made by the selectors at the time because you had three guys - Katich, Ponting and Hussey - all the same age and three key batters who were all going to go at once. The selectors made a judgment call to try to transition through that and didn't get it right. Katich would've been a valuable player. But that's their call. "The reality of life is experience is a big part in winning Test matches and you only have to look at the experience levels of the South African team, the English team and our team to see where we're at. I'm confident we're on the right path." Katich, now 38, has had a good time with Western Australia, scoring two half-centuries last week. He was also in prime form for English county side Lancashire , ironically, during the same time Australia that were getting humbled in the Ashes. Rogers, currently the oldest member in the team, had also urged national selectors to look beyond a player's age when drafting a side. The southpaw had had a reasonably successful tour of England, scoring a century and two fifties.

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/59229/dropping-katich-a-mistake-ca-admits/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=news&utm_campaign=gadget

[coffee_rules]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/682037.html

The folly of the Katich decision, made by a selection panel that included Andrew Hilditch as chairman alongside Greg Chappell and Jamie Cox, has been highlighted in recent weeks by his strong showings for Western Australia in the domestic limited-overs competition, long after both Ponting and Michael Hussey retired.

Guru Greg ke kaarname wahan pe bhi!

[SLICKR392]

No sh!t.

[Lord]

So will they call him back now?

[Sidhoni]

Try telling that to Clarke

[GolGappe]

What will CA do with Clarke the captain if they lose another home Ashes to England?

[Ibes]

Guru Greg with his youth movements, just plain idiotic. Didnt Hauritz once sell all of his Test gear on Ebay when was dropped ? BTW can someone tell me why someone like Callum Ferguson isn't their ODI squad anymore ? He seemed to be a good bat.

[maniac]

Clarke is a douche of the highest order....I am glad they are grooming Bailey .....He is the real deal

[Scarves]

Guru Greg with his youth movements, just plain idiotic. Didnt Hauritz once sell all of his Test gear on Ebay when was dropped ? BTW can someone tell me why someone like Callum Ferguson isn't their ODI squad anymore ? He seemed to be a good bat.

Hasn't had a good run in a long time because he is pretty average compared to the players they have then and now. Katich was dropped due to age which is stupid because the lone player knocking on the door was Hughes who they love to drop because they (selectors) love Khawaja, Warner and Marsh. Katich could have played a few more years, Hughes would have been perfect for now.

[Scarves]

What will CA do with Clarke the captain if they lose another home Ashes to England?

I think Clarke will retire. His back is just that bad where it would give a good reason to leave. If he does retire it will be between Bailey and Haddin. But Smith is the only player that is under 30 that I can see be captain atm.