SIMON Katich has been reported under the Cricket Australia Code of Behaviour provisions, following comments made about the board and captain Michael Clarke. The 36-year-old Western Australian, who has made 56 Test appearances in the Baggy Green, has been vocal about his frustrations at losing his place in the team and said he will not reclaim his spot owing to the presence of Clarke as captain.
The pair had a well-publicised bust-up in 2009.
Cricket Australia said that the appointment of John Inverarity as the new full-time selector would open the door for all players, but Katich told the Sydney Morning Herald: “It’s pleasing to hear but I think you don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that it’s not just the selectors that had a part in sending me on my way.”
Referring to his and Clarke`s fall-out, he added: “To be brutally honest, obviously what happened in the dressing room here a few years ago didn’t help my cause.
“And, obviously, the captain and coach are selectors. Just because (Inverarity) is going to be chairman of selectors, or whatever role it is, I wouldn’t have thought that’d make too much difference.”
As a result of his comments, he has been reported by Cricket Australia.
“CA (Cricket Australia) emphatically refutes any suggestion that Michael Clarke influenced the independent selection panel’s recommendations for the 2011-12 CA contract players’ list, a list that did not include Katich,” chief executive James Sutherland said.
“The NSP (National Selection Panel) made its recommendations based on its independent assessment of Australian cricket’s player needs for the next 12 months and the suggestions made by Katich are completely erroneous, inappropriate and unfair to Clarke, the selectors and to CA.”
Katich scored 4 188 Test runs for Australia, at an average of 45.03. (PA Sport)