Simon Katich and his thumb...

sifter132

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Was going to add this to the India tour thread, but since that's over I've made a new thread.

So anyway I read that Simon Katich played the 2 Tests in India with a broken thumb, which he thought was only fractured...The Ashes 2010-11: Broken thumb hurts Simon Katich | Cricket News | The Ashes 2010-11 | Cricinfo.com

And he says "It definitely hindered me during the first Test in Mohali," Katich said. "I felt like I was batting one-handed. It felt better in the second Test but the big problem was it affected my preparation. I had to stop hitting balls."

WHY THE HELL WAS HE PLAYING??? Why do we even take reserves...

I know Australia likes an unchanged lineup but when these kind of reports come out it makes you wonder. Andrew Symonds played in Melbourne v SA in 2008 with a dodgy knee and was hobbling around in the field like an old man. It was a shameful selection. And here we are again with Katich who says he was hindered and the results prove it.

Anyone got some other thoughts on the issue? Am I making too much of this?
 

Biggy

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Was going to add this to the India tour thread, but since that's over I've made a new thread.

So anyway I read that Simon Katich played the 2 Tests in India with a broken thumb, which he thought was only fractured...The Ashes 2010-11: Broken thumb hurts Simon Katich | Cricket News | The Ashes 2010-11 | Cricinfo.com

And he says "It definitely hindered me during the first Test in Mohali," Katich said. "I felt like I was batting one-handed. It felt better in the second Test but the big problem was it affected my preparation. I had to stop hitting balls."

WHY THE HELL WAS HE PLAYING??? Why do we even take reserves...

I know Australia likes an unchanged lineup but when these kind of reports come out it makes you wonder. Andrew Symonds played in Melbourne v SA in 2008 with a dodgy knee and was hobbling around in the field like an old man. It was a shameful selection. And here we are again with Katich who says he was hindered and the results prove it.

Anyone got some other thoughts on the issue? Am I making too much of this?

No, good thread. It's one thing to be brave and bat after being injured (like Graeme Smith a while back) but to know you are injured before a game, and especially a thumb he should have sat out for the good of the team.
 

Robelinda

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No, good thread. It's one thing to be brave and bat after being injured (like Graeme Smith a while back) but to know you are injured before a game, and especially a thumb he should have sat out for the good of the team.

Crazy stuff. Hughes was sitting on his arse too, come on. Becoming quite unhappy with the goings on of the Aussie team. I might even start to rant on the I N T E R N E T!
 

ChefMan21

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Jan 23, 2005
Crazy stuff. Hughes was sitting on his arse too, come on. Becoming quite unhappy with the goings on of the Aussie team. I might even start to rant on the I N T E R N E T!

I hate this whole "in crowd" thing they have going on at the moment. If your not mates with Ponting and co then you don't get a good run. If your not 30 you don't get a long run in the team. There's a blood good batsman waiting to take Katich or Watson's spot in the future. Give him a go.

It was a golden opportunity to see where he was at against a cracking side. I don't care if he fails, it means we can find out some more of his weaknesses in pressure situations and see what we can fix or if we can't get anymore out of him then we can discard him and find someone else. We should be easing players in for a number of impending retirements not chucking them straight out there in sink or swim mode.

Five of our regular XI are over 32, with a bunch right behind them that are heading quickly to 30. We have almost no players in the squad who will be 10-15 year players. Why not get Hughes in the side who can be one of those 10 or 15 year players for the occasional run. Next injury to a middle order batsman get Khawaja and Ferguson in there for a Test match or two. How difficult is it? By the time they are ready for a long stint they will have had 10-15 Test matches already. One of the reasons we aren't going so well is we are hanging on to a fair few has-beens, never-were's or oldies. Some days they look tired and disinterested. What on earth are we doing?
 

Robelinda

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Pretty sure we can all agree that within the next 6 months we'll see new young blood, Hussey, Katich, Punter wont all last the summer- dropped or retired.
 

TumTum

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Well Katman did say that the medic thought it was just a bruise. Pretty stupid to not play because of that reason.

TumTum added 0 Minutes and 38 Seconds later...

Pretty sure we can all agree that within the next 6 months we'll see new young blood, Hussey, Katich, Punter wont all last the summer- dropped or retired.

You're on! :)
 

angryangy

ICC Chairman
Joined
Oct 1, 2004
I think the problem is that they didn't get it checked until after the tour. Usually they're very quick to get someone scanned. They obviously didn't think much of it, and so they went along with the 'see if it comes good in a few days' diagnosis when really there were only two weeks where it would have mattered.
 

Biggy

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I hate this whole "in crowd" thing they have going on at the moment. If your not mates with Ponting and co then you don't get a good run. If your not 30 you don't get a long run in the team. There's a blood good batsman waiting to take Katich or Watson's spot in the future. Give him a go.

It was a golden opportunity to see where he was at against a cracking side. I don't care if he fails, it means we can find out some more of his weaknesses in pressure situations and see what we can fix or if we can't get anymore out of him then we can discard him and find someone else. We should be easing players in for a number of impending retirements not chucking them straight out there in sink or swim mode.

Five of our regular XI are over 32, with a bunch right behind them that are heading quickly to 30. We have almost no players in the squad who will be 10-15 year players. Why not get Hughes in the side who can be one of those 10 or 15 year players for the occasional run. Next injury to a middle order batsman get Khawaja and Ferguson in there for a Test match or two. How difficult is it? By the time they are ready for a long stint they will have had 10-15 Test matches already. One of the reasons we aren't going so well is we are hanging on to a fair few has-beens, never-were's or oldies. Some days they look tired and disinterested. What on earth are we doing?

Top 7:

Shane Watson
Phillip Hughes
Michael Clarke
Usman Khawaja
Callum Ferguson
Steven Smith
Tim Paine

Could throw Cam White in there somewhere too.

That's be fun to watch.
 

sifter132

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Well Katman did say that the medic thought it was just a bruise. Pretty stupid to not play because of that reason.
I think the problem is that they didn't get it checked until after the tour. Usually they're very quick to get someone scanned. They obviously didn't think much of it, and so they went along with the 'see if it comes good in a few days' diagnosis when really there were only two weeks where it would have mattered.

Yeah I can see why it happened and it's hard to say that it's the physio's fault and it definitely WASN'T the selectors fault. It's Katich's. If he can't hold the bat with 2 hands, then he should be talking to the physio about it. And he shouldn't be saying 'oh my thumb's a bit sore', he should be saying 'geez I'm struggling to hold the bat'. Considering how close that first Test was, a few more runs out of Katich (or Hughes as a replacement) might have made the difference.

Actually, thinking about it a little more, perhaps the selectors and physio should have a little bit more responsibility. They should be watching Katich in the nets closely - it's their jobs. The problem might be that because the batsmen are all 'old guys', then the coaches and selectors may not pay too much attention to them in the nets, because as experienced players 'they can look after themselves'. Maybe it's time to shake that up a bit.
 
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aussie1st

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Definitely shouldn't have played but that is the type of player he is just like Hussey would fight through the pain. Anyway our cricket is a mess atm, got selectors sticking with players too long, the captain making bad calls, batting being fragile and the list goes on.
 

lethalhughes

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Hughes and Khawaja are the future.When are we gonna see those young bats, both of whom have made a very strong case for selection via their domestic stats.Katich shouldn't have played, why did we had a reserve bat?I would think a lineup of this post ashes would look good

1.S.Watson
2.P.Hughes
3.S.Katich
4.R.Ponting
5.M.Clarke
6.U.Khawaja
7.B.Haddin
8.M.Johnson
9.N.Hauritz
10.B.Hilfenhaus
11.D.Bollinger
 

Biggy

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Doubt Ponting would drop to 4. Didn't he just make a pair of 70's? More his captaincy under pressure atm.
 

lethalhughes

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Doubt Ponting would drop to 4. Didn't he just make a pair of 70's? More his captaincy under pressure atm.

Yes, well maybe Katich bats at 4 then.Hughes needs to be in the team asap.Watson has done so excellently at the top you can't move him down now surely.Khawaja's time is ever so near.
 

aussie1st

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It's a tricky one on who to move as both Katich and Watson are going so well as openers. If anything you would ease Hughes in at 6.
 

Robelinda

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Just has to be some harsh decisions coming up. Can understand Katich coming back in the team in 2008, none of the contenders now were either playing back then or in form. Its nice we gave a final chance to the guy, who was in awesome shield form, but you cany wait for Khwaja and Hughes to reach 29 before giving them a go.
 

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