Simon Katich dropped – the understated reaction

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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.

17 comments

  1. You are just learning about how paranoid West Australians are about those ****ing bastards from the Eastern States.

  2. Yeh, good on Simon Katich for standing up and saying your piece.

    And then, yah boo sucks Simon Katich for considering using employment legislation to overturn a sports-based decision. When will top sportsmen realise that THEY DON’T HAVE AN ORDINARY JOB? The selection process might not be fair, but if he even for a moment thought that a better sporting decision could be made by a panel of employment lawyers, he is a fuckwit. And if he didn’t think this, and he was only considering using this method because it suited him in this particular instance, he is a double-fuckwit.

    I had a bit of a soft spot for Simon Katich. He seemed to be one of the better ones. But he has shown his hand. He has been moved into the part of my brain reserved for Allan Stanford and Giles Clarke as people who are deeply confused about the point of what they purportedly care about most.

    1. It worries me that you have reserved a part of your brain for these people, Bert.

    2. Don’t worry, DC. I’ve set up a little Hell for them to exist in. It has international cricket being played to the highest standard and NOBODY IS MAKING ANY MONEY OFF THE BACK OF IT. You should see their little faces contorted into screams of bewilderment and incomprehension.

  3. Like Bert, I’m a bit saddened by the fact that Katich turns out to be a bit of a dick. Australian cricket isn’t exactly awash with people who aren’t dicks, but I thought he was one of them. But he isn’t. He isn’t not a dick.

    1. Katich may well be a bit of a dick. He would not be alone in the Australian dressing room. But he has a point, there is no way he should have been dropped. So at the very least he is a dick with a point.

      What is the point of Steve Smith?

    2. Steve Smith is what Shane Warne would be if, after his harsh treatment in his debut test against India, he went, “Nah, maybe I should just bat a bit instead.”

      Which is not to say that he’s a better batsman than Shane Warne.

  4. Wait, why are we railing against Katich for considering going to the lawyers before deciding against it, again?

    It’s a good job I haven’t yet been harangued for things I’ve briefly considered doing and then not gone ahead with it. I’d be considered pretty despicable.

    I’ve briefly considered stabbing someone in the eye with a fork, for example. Or walking in front of a car to get out of my exams. Or even leaving a comment on cricinfo once.

  5. Is second prize two iphones, Babua, by any chance?

    I most cretainly do not feel guilty about pointing out your (rare) typos, KC, nor do I feel guilty about teasing Babua for his blam (or whatever such postings are supposed to be called) however legit his motives for making said posting might be.

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