Simon Katich dropped – the understated reaction

This is a quote from Australia’s federal defence minister, Stephen Smith. And yes, you read that job title correctly.

“Well historically of course there have been a series of atrocities committed by the Australian Cricket Board or Cricket Australia or the Australian selectors against Western Australian cricketers but this one is extraordinary. This one is very high at the top of the list.”

Atrocities? You’d think someone in Smith’s line of work might hold words like that back for when he really needs them.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia’s head of cricket operations, Michael Brown, has seen fit to question the idioms used by Katich when complaining about losing his contract:

“I certainly don’t support the idea that you pay peanuts you get monkeys.”

We get the impression that Brown has taken that comment literally and while he’s resolute in public, behind the scenes he’s despatched some specialists to do a series of species checks on the selection panel.