It's Grouse to be a Spiv

Cricket Australia rewards Katich

April 09, 2008 FORMER Australia opener Simon Katich has been rewarded for a brilliant domestic season with Cricket Australia offering him a new national contract.

Katich - the Pura Cup winning New South Wales skipper - and Queenslander Ashley Noffke have regained their places in the Australia's 25-man contracted player list.

The shock exclusion is Western Australia batsman Chris Rogers.

Rogers has been axed despite making his Test debut for Australia against India at his home ground at the WACA just three months ago.

The contracted player list for the next 12 months chosen by the national selection panel includes just two specialist openers in Test duo Matthew Hayden and Phil Jaques.

Added to the list for the first time are NSW duo Doug Bollinger and Beau Casson, Victorian David Hussey and West Australian Shaun Marsh.

Along with Rogers and retired trio Adam Gilchrist, Brad Hogg and Jason Gillespie, South Australian spin twins Cullen Bailey and Daniel Cullen have dropped off the annual 25-man list.

Rogers' place appears to have been taken by former state teammate Marsh who enjoyed a terrific domestic season for the Warriors.

The selectors' decision is now likely to see Rogers link with Victoria instead of Queensland after he announced this week he was leaving Western Australia.

Rogers was unable to hit the heights of the previous season after he failed as a replacement for the injured Hayden in the third Test loss to India in early January.

"Shaun Marsh had a terrific season for Western Australia in all three forms of the game and together with the five other new faces will be an exciting addition to the group of contracted players," said chief selector Andrew Hilditch.

The four-man selection panel nominates the 25 players based on the form of the players over the past 12 months and their likelihood of national selection in all forms of the game over the next 12 months.

The contracted players are paid a base retainer, levelled according to a player ranking system decided by the selectors.

Hilditch said the selectors again chose a balanced squad of experienced players and emerging talent.

"An important area of our considerations in selecting the contracted players is to ensure we continue to promote the young players and bring them forward into this Australian side and its surrounds," he said.

"We are now facing the challenge of continuing to perform at our best, against the best, while going through the rebuilding process."

NSW are heavily represented in the squad with 10, Queensland six, WA and Victoria three, Tasmania two and the resting Shaun Tait has kept his contract to be the only South Australian.



AAP

lardbucket wrote:Weren't we in crisis with Cullen and Bailey?

lardbucket wrote:Amazing Hughes hasn't already got a contract.

lardbucket wrote:>>>

Cullen Bailey and Daniel Cullen have dropped off the annual 25-man list

<<<



Struggling now to even to make the South Australian XI. They've been Hauritzised, Brad Youngified, and rendered Cam Whitesque.

skully wrote:. It's been a bad week for the little wozzie crab.

skully wrote:Hehe, fair point. Actually, never been there, but any place that full of Sandies must be a tad overbearing.

G.Wood wrote:

skully wrote:. It's been a bad week for the little wozzie crab.

he's getting out of Perth isn't he?

G.Wood wrote:

skully wrote:. It's been a bad week for the little wozzie crab.

he's getting out of Perth isn't he?

G.Wood wrote:

skully wrote:Hehe, fair point. Actually, never been there, but any place that full of Sandies must be a tad overbearing.

VoR is considered moderate over there