Katich slams CA, denies Clarke’s hand in sacking
June 10th, 2011 - 5:30 pm ICT by IANSSydney, June 10 (IANS) Simon Katich said he is extremely “disappointed and frustrated” with Cricket Australia’s (CA) decision to sack him but denied that new captain Michael Clarke had any hand in it.
He and Clarke were involved in a dressing room tiff two and a half years ago but Katich insists it does not have a bearing on his sacking.
“I don’t think that was an issue,” Katich was quoted as saying in the Daily Telegraph. “We had a professional relationship.”
CA chairman Andrew Hilditch told Katich he had been dumped during a four-minute phone conversation Tuesday.
“I am extremely frustrated and disappointed with the decision,” Katich said.
“I also want to make it clear that I am not the only player who has gone through this over the last couple of years due to an inconsistent selection policy.”
“I just hope that something good comes out of this situation because I thought the decision was absolutely ridiculous.”
Katich said he spoke his mind to the selectors.
“I spoke my mind, I certainly didn’t hold back. There was no shirking the issue, but there was nothing said that was personal. It was just about the decision,” he said.
“I vented my spleen about the decision and explained why. There was no name-calling or anything like that.”
Katich announced he will continue to play for NSW out of respect for the state’s cricketers and administrators but admits that at 35 his international career is over.
He said the rejection was hard to take as he had been working hard to get himself back to peak fitness ahead of the upcoming season.
“Up to Tuesday I had done three weeks’ training ahead of the rest of the squad starting, and I did that because I wanted to be ready and firing in Sri Lanka,” said Katich, three days after being sacked from Australia’s list of 25 contracted players.
Katich confirmed he had explored legal action for wrongful dismissal.
Katich has given solid performance in the Test arena in the past couple of years with a career Test average of over 45 from 56 matches.
- Katich resigns to his fate, says Cowan worthy successor - Dec 26, 2011
- Katich reprimanded for his comments on Clarke - Dec 05, 2011
- Katich seeking legal advice over CA hearing - Nov 01, 2011
- Spat with Clarke resulted in my axe, says Katich - Oct 28, 2011
- Katich has no regrets about his comments on Clarke - Dec 06, 2011
- Clarke not averse to recalling Katich in Australian team - Dec 16, 2011
- ACA endorses Katich's stand on part-time selectors - Jun 22, 2011
- Selectors have committed atrocity against Katich: Minister - Jun 13, 2011
- Katich hires lawyer ahead of Cricket Australia hearing - Nov 09, 2011
- Australia's cricket future is in good shape - Oct 27, 2011
- I won't leave selection panel: Hilditch - Jan 11, 2011
- Sack Ponting and Hilditch: John Benaud - Mar 17, 2011
- Axeing of Katich is unfathomable: McGain - Jun 16, 2011
- Ponting survives axe, CA endorses him as skipper - Dec 31, 2010
- CA makes sweeping changes, sacks Hilditch and Chappell from selection panel - Aug 19, 2011
Tags: ca chairman, captain michael, cricket australia, cricketers, daily telegraph, dressing room, hilditch, international career, michael clarke, peak fitness, phone conversation, professional relationship, selection policy, selectors, simon katich, slams, spleen, test arena, two and a half years, wrongful dismissal