Katich cut from CA contract list

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/518045.html

This effectively ends his international career.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but hasn't he been close to Australia's most consistent batsman over the last three years? Seems harsh considering Ponting and Hussey (who have been far less consistent with the bat) have been retained.

Is there more to this than meets the eye? (ie he has half a brain in his head, and wasn't afraid to tell Drunky and Clarke they were f*cking idiots?)

The Squad with No Beer

The 2011-12 Cricket Australia contracted players are:
NAME - STATE - AGE
Doug Bollinger - NSW - 29
Michael Clarke - NSW - 30
Patrick Cummins - NSW - 18
Xavier Doherty - TAS - 28
Callum Ferguson - SA - 26
Brad Haddin - NSW - 33
Ryan Harris - QLD - 31
John Hastings - VIC - 25
Nathan Hauritz - NSW - 29
Ben Hilfenhaus - TAS - 28
Phillip Hughes - NSW - 22
David Hussey - VIC - 33
Michael Hussey - WA - 36
Mitchell Johnson - WA - 29
Usman Khawaja - NSW - 24
Jason Krejza - TAS - 28
Brett Lee - NSW - 34
Shaun Marsh - WA - 27
Tim Paine - TAS - 26
James Pattinson - VIC - 21
Ricky Ponting - TAS - 36
Peter Siddle - VIC - 26
Steven Smith - NSW - 22
Shane Watson - NSW - 29
Cameron White - VIC - 27

TAYPOC.

WTF is D Hussey and B Lee in the contracted players list ?

There seems to be a lot of has-beens or never will be's there.

I can see Horrie having an existential crisis over this if it was Hilditch's decision to cut Kat.

embee wrote:WTF is D Hussey and B Lee in the contracted players list ?

Obviously Aus intend playing a lot of T20 this year.

embee wrote:The Squad with No Beer

So it seems. Don't be surprised if he's back in a bigger way in a couple of years.

All these fringe spinners need to spend their winters offshore, Sri Lanka, India & the UK.

Ferguson, Marsh and Paine are probably the players CA should look at 'building the team around' now. Maybe Watson too. The bowlers in that list are all a bit sh!t.

JGK wrote:I can see Horrie having an existential crisis over this if it was Hilditch's decision to cut Kat.

I can see h having a heart attack due to massive orgasm.

So Bung and ShyT are worth a spot but Fleas isn't. FMD.

Hard to argue with Trev's assestment of the 25. Aus Cricket in Crisis?

Mick Sawyer wrote:

embee wrote:The Squad with No Beer

So it seems. Don't be surprised if he's back in a bigger way in a couple of years.

All these fringe spinners need to spend their winters offshore, Sri Lanka, India & the UK.

How will they know which country they are in?

Fark, the more I look at that squad, the more I weep for the next 5 years of Aus Cricket. That is bog ordinary.

There's a bit of talent in there that with the right leadership and direction could prove to be a good nucleus. Thankfully it looks like T20 is about to go tits up all over the world so we might salvage something from the wreckage.

Bradman wrote:There's a bit of talent in there that with the right leadership and direction could prove to be a good nucleus.

Thnak God for Michael Clarke.

Is Trev's sudden disappearance from this thread due to him realising after posting

TAYPOC

that Khawaja is in the squad and having to go and rub out several quick ones?

How's the wrist now Trev?

White is extremely lucky. Hughes also seems to have the selectors' imprimatur.

My first reaction to seeing this is just "urghh" it looks like more hard times for Australian supporters.

I am also wondering who from this sorry list would get the top spot? The no.1 ranking - and the biggest contract? The order was never published but it was always thought/known that McGrath got the top contract when he was playing.

It should go to watson - but besides him and hussey I dont see any contenders. (I fear it went to clarke, ponting or johnson though).

[First post - I'll introduce myself later, too busy venting] P.S I'm an Aussie supporter.

Henry wrote:TAYPOC.

**contented sigh** Ahhh. Well done Trev. I remember the days where Aussie trolls used to stick that in on England threads.

G'day Tedwardio. You're not originally from Canberra by any chance?

Welcome Tedwardio.

Thanks Taipan, Zat.

I'm not from Canbera - I'm from the other side (Perth) infact never been east of Perth.


Some further reaction...

Dropping Katich - tough call but fair enough - most people have been calling for youth to get a go.

The fast bowlers - Pattinson and cummings named as "two of the most promising fast bowlers in the country" - forgive me if I dont get too excited - as I have heard that countless times before - where is starc, hazelwood or copeland? have they been dumped? Why are we giving untried 18 year olds half a million dollars or more before they have done anything at all? I'm of the view these people should get goes in the ODI and T20 squads - and earn a contract - but my views must be outdated.

The spinners - how many spinners do we need in this squad? A 25 man squad and we have krezja, hauritz, doherty and smith named? Plus they are saying that Beer is still in contention - the selectors clearly have no idea.

The openers - I feel sorry for Watson having to open with Hughes. Is Hughes really all we have.

To be brief with my remaining points.

Glad that Mike Hussey still has a contract - he can make a good contribution over the next 12 months.

Disappointed that McDonald is seemingly out of contention.

I'm hoping that the CA review (due in August?) suggests more widespread changes.

More importantly where is Luke Butterworth?