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Patrick Cummins and Usman Khawaja earn central Cricket Australia contracts, Simon Katich misses out
By Justin Chadwick and Angela Habashy
AAP
June 07, 2011 3:26PM
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Australia's quest to nurture a new opening partnership ahead of the 2013 Ashes series in England has effectively ended the Test career of veteran batsman Simon Katich.
Katich was left out of Cricket Australia's 25-man list of national team players for the 2011-12 international season on Tuesday.
An untimely Achilles tendon injury last summer and Australia's bid to establish a new opening pairing ahead of Ashes series in 2013 and 2014 conspired against 35-year-old Katich, whose 56 Tests yielded 4188 runs at an average of 45.03.
Katich had been a rock at the top of the order in recent years.
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But with 36-year-olds Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey retaining their central contracts, CA felt there was simply no room left for a third player entering the final phase of their career.
"It was obviously devastating for Simon," Australian chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said.
What do you think of the 25-man list of contracted players? Was getting rid of Katich the correct decision? Have your say below
"He's been a really fantastic player for us and he's been extremely successful.
"It was a big decision, obviously really hard on Simon.
"But in our view the opening partnership is critical.
"It takes time to get a good opening partnership and we now think the time is right to make sure we've got the right opening partnership come the Ashes."
Mike Hussey said he was "desperately disappointed" when told of the news of Katich's axing.
Katich's demise is set to pave the way for either Phil Hughes or Shaun Marsh to link up with Shane Watson at the top of the order.
Hughes has struggled to recapture the form that saw him post two centuries in his debut Test series in 2009, with the 22-year-old tallying just 97 runs at an average of 16.20 during last summer's Ashes series.
Marsh has battled hamstring problems over the past two years but is a proven performer in the one-day arena and desperate to earn a crack at Test level.
"He (Marsh) opens basically in Twenty20 and one-day cricket," Hilditch said.
"He's basically played every role in four-day cricket so we think he's a player that can play all forms of the game and his role would be pretty flexible I think."
Joining Katich on the scrapheap was Western Australia skipper Marcus North, James Hopes, Andrew McDonald, Clint McKay, Shaun Tait and Adam Voges.
Exciting 18-year-old NSW paceman Patrick Cummins headlined the list of inclusions, which also featured Xavier Doherty, Jason Krejza, John Hastings, David Hussey, Usman Khawaja and James Pattinson.
"Patrick Cummins is actually the youngest player we've ever put on the contract list since the system came in," Hilditch said.
"We want to have a winning culture but we've also got to build for the future.
"It's a long way away but two years down the track is the next Ashes and that's a big goal for us.
"It's probably the youngest contracted squad we've ever had.
"I think the average age is about 28."
Australia's incumbent Test spinner Michael Beer was overlooked for a contract, but could come into calculations down the track.
Cummins only made his first class debut in March, completing an amazing rise through the ranks by winning a contract.
"I would have never expected it, I guess I was just hoping for a NSW contract this year, so it's unbelievable," an elated Cummins said.
"I got the phone call this morning and I was just so surprised.
"I just couldn't believe it, it was just out of nowhere.
"At the start of last season one of my goals was just to play first grade for Penrith and to get through to the NSW side.
Cummins said he'd received numerous calls of congratulations but there was one in particular he won't be forgetting in a hurry.
"It's a privilege to be given this with the amount of bowling talent around at the moment," said Cummins, who regularly clocks speeds of 140km/hr.
"I've gotten a few text messages and phone calls, I got one from (captain) Michael Clarke.
"That was pretty exciting. I didn't have his phone number before but now I've got it."
Cricket Australia Contacted Players
Doug Bollinger (NSW)
Michael Clarke (NSW)
Patrick Cummins (NSW)
Xavier Doherty (TAS)
Callum Ferguson (SA)
Brad Haddin (NSW)
Ryan Harris (QLD)
John Hastings (VIC)
Nathan Hauritz (NSW)
Ben Hilfenhaus (TAS)
Phillip Hughes (NSW)
David Hussey (VIC)
Michael Hussey (WA)
Mitchell Johnson (WA)
Usman Khawaja (NSW)
Jason Krejza (TAS)
Brett Lee (NSW)
Shaun Marsh (WA)
Tim Paine (TAS)
James Pattinson (VIC)
Ricky Ponting (TAS)
Peter Siddle (VIC)
Steven Smith (NSW)
Shane Watson (NSW)
Cameron White (VIC)
bit late but i think it's a disgrace dumping katich who's been one of australia's most consistant players over the yrs
By Justin Chadwick and Angela Habashy
AAP
June 07, 2011 3:26PM
Share
Australia's quest to nurture a new opening partnership ahead of the 2013 Ashes series in England has effectively ended the Test career of veteran batsman Simon Katich.
Katich was left out of Cricket Australia's 25-man list of national team players for the 2011-12 international season on Tuesday.
An untimely Achilles tendon injury last summer and Australia's bid to establish a new opening pairing ahead of Ashes series in 2013 and 2014 conspired against 35-year-old Katich, whose 56 Tests yielded 4188 runs at an average of 45.03.
Katich had been a rock at the top of the order in recent years.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
But with 36-year-olds Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey retaining their central contracts, CA felt there was simply no room left for a third player entering the final phase of their career.
"It was obviously devastating for Simon," Australian chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said.
What do you think of the 25-man list of contracted players? Was getting rid of Katich the correct decision? Have your say below
"He's been a really fantastic player for us and he's been extremely successful.
"It was a big decision, obviously really hard on Simon.
"But in our view the opening partnership is critical.
"It takes time to get a good opening partnership and we now think the time is right to make sure we've got the right opening partnership come the Ashes."
Mike Hussey said he was "desperately disappointed" when told of the news of Katich's axing.
Katich's demise is set to pave the way for either Phil Hughes or Shaun Marsh to link up with Shane Watson at the top of the order.
Hughes has struggled to recapture the form that saw him post two centuries in his debut Test series in 2009, with the 22-year-old tallying just 97 runs at an average of 16.20 during last summer's Ashes series.
Marsh has battled hamstring problems over the past two years but is a proven performer in the one-day arena and desperate to earn a crack at Test level.
"He (Marsh) opens basically in Twenty20 and one-day cricket," Hilditch said.
"He's basically played every role in four-day cricket so we think he's a player that can play all forms of the game and his role would be pretty flexible I think."
Joining Katich on the scrapheap was Western Australia skipper Marcus North, James Hopes, Andrew McDonald, Clint McKay, Shaun Tait and Adam Voges.
Exciting 18-year-old NSW paceman Patrick Cummins headlined the list of inclusions, which also featured Xavier Doherty, Jason Krejza, John Hastings, David Hussey, Usman Khawaja and James Pattinson.
"Patrick Cummins is actually the youngest player we've ever put on the contract list since the system came in," Hilditch said.
"We want to have a winning culture but we've also got to build for the future.
"It's a long way away but two years down the track is the next Ashes and that's a big goal for us.
"It's probably the youngest contracted squad we've ever had.
"I think the average age is about 28."
Australia's incumbent Test spinner Michael Beer was overlooked for a contract, but could come into calculations down the track.
Cummins only made his first class debut in March, completing an amazing rise through the ranks by winning a contract.
"I would have never expected it, I guess I was just hoping for a NSW contract this year, so it's unbelievable," an elated Cummins said.
"I got the phone call this morning and I was just so surprised.
"I just couldn't believe it, it was just out of nowhere.
"At the start of last season one of my goals was just to play first grade for Penrith and to get through to the NSW side.
Cummins said he'd received numerous calls of congratulations but there was one in particular he won't be forgetting in a hurry.
"It's a privilege to be given this with the amount of bowling talent around at the moment," said Cummins, who regularly clocks speeds of 140km/hr.
"I've gotten a few text messages and phone calls, I got one from (captain) Michael Clarke.
"That was pretty exciting. I didn't have his phone number before but now I've got it."
Cricket Australia Contacted Players
Doug Bollinger (NSW)
Michael Clarke (NSW)
Patrick Cummins (NSW)
Xavier Doherty (TAS)
Callum Ferguson (SA)
Brad Haddin (NSW)
Ryan Harris (QLD)
John Hastings (VIC)
Nathan Hauritz (NSW)
Ben Hilfenhaus (TAS)
Phillip Hughes (NSW)
David Hussey (VIC)
Michael Hussey (WA)
Mitchell Johnson (WA)
Usman Khawaja (NSW)
Jason Krejza (TAS)
Brett Lee (NSW)
Shaun Marsh (WA)
Tim Paine (TAS)
James Pattinson (VIC)
Ricky Ponting (TAS)
Peter Siddle (VIC)
Steven Smith (NSW)
Shane Watson (NSW)
Cameron White (VIC)
bit late but i think it's a disgrace dumping katich who's been one of australia's most consistant players over the yrs
