Katich - Has he won any of us over?

[GVGjr]

Before this tour started I thought Katich was probably going to bat at 6, make a heaps of runs as he got on top of tiring attacks and just provide batting depth however, he was asked to open the batting right from the 1st Test and has performed well.

Have you been impressed with his play?
Will he hold the openers spot once we return from India?
Would you return him to the middle order or dump him off the team?

I know Katich is a bit of the whipping boy but he has exceeded my expectations of him before the tour.

Thoughts?

[Twodogs]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

He still has to improve his fielding. He costs far too many runs in the field.

[GVGjr]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

He still has to improve his fielding. He costs far too many runs in the field.

He is being used a lot as the bat/pad fieldsman though and I don't see this really as an issue because who else would fill that role?

His fielding is below par but not shocking

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

He'll win me over when he scores runs on pitches that don't give up 600 an innings.

He's always been a brilliant flat track bully, let's see him make a run when we really need him to on a tough wicket.

[azabob]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

He'll win me over when he scores runs on pitches that don't give up 600 an innings.

He's always been a brilliant flat track bully, let's see him make a run when we really need him to on a tough wicket.

I think we are in trouble with both Hayden and Katich. Problem is there is no one really worth taking their spots.
RE the bowlers do we have to somehow get Siddle back in the team? Especially if Lee is starting to lose his pace and bounce.
What do people think of Watson is he still ahead of Symonds, if anyone has suprised this tour I would say it would be Watson.

[GVGjr]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

I think we are in trouble with both Hayden and Katich. Problem is there is no one really worth taking their spots.
RE the bowlers do we have to somehow get Siddle back in the team? Especially if Lee is starting to lose his pace and bounce.
What do people think of Watson is he still ahead of Symonds, if anyone has suprised this tour I would say it would be Watson.

I agree that there isn't any openers really putting pressure on the current two.
I'm not convinced that Siddle is a test player at all but he will get some more games.
I'm more concerned with Clark than Lee at the moment because once Lee gets back home he will be a vastly better player .

IMO, Symonds has done his dash as a test player. I think his heart is into the one day games and Twenty/20 cricket over in India. It will be interesting to see if Watson has done enough to hold his spot. He has bowled better than I thought but we haven't seen him do enough with the bat just yet.

[hujsh]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

I've been waiting for a hundred that was against quality opposition. I'm happy for him to keep his spot the way he's going. Though a better conversion rate of his starts would help.

[Bornadog]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

I now respect him more than I did at the start of the tour and at this stage deserves his spot. I don't think he is a long term option and we really need to start grooming some younger openers into the team as Hayden is approaching retirement stage in his career.

[dog town]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

Didnt have to win me over as I already rated him. I have a strict no bias policy in cricket. If a player makes runs they win me over and Katich is a run machine. He is also one of he only players who looks like he cares.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

Katich can be a bit slow and boring, but that's cricket. He's had a good series, so can't fault him.

[Mantis]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

He has had a pretty good series at the top of the order. Hopefully he can bat for atleast the first session today to give us a chance of atleast drawing this match. Long term I still hold my reservations, but all you can do is perform when given the chance, which he has done on this tour.

While Katich & Hussey have been solid with the bat almost all other batsman have performed well below par. Lara'a boy toy would want to make some run's today.

[mighty_west]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

He'll win me over when he scores runs on pitches that don't give up 600 an innings.

He's always been a brilliant flat track bully, let's see him make a run when we really need him to on a tough wicket.

All the more reason why he was always a walk in start over in India, having said that, you still have to make the runs, and he has done very well indeed, whilst others have struggled!

[LostDoggy]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

The tracks in India only give up 600 runs to the Indians. We're not scoring runs easily against an attack that has employed reverse swing very well and against class spinners operating on worn pitches. Far from being an easy ask, only good defence and good footwork have survived this series.

Ask Hayden, Clarke and Ponting (on occasions).

According to my numbers, Katich has averaged 53+ since his return to the test side and after breaking the alltime record for runs in a shield season - more runs than Bradman could manage.

I think it's fair to say that the man is developing into a very good Test batsman.

As for his fielding, the reflex catch at short leg off Krazy in the first dig in this match was brilliant

[mighty_west]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

According to my numbers, Katich has averaged 53+ since his return to the test side and after breaking the alltime record for runs in a shield season - more runs than Bradman could manage.

You know what, his average could be over 80, yet people won't change their views, it's just the way some people are!

[GVGjr]

Re: Katich - Has he won any of us over?

As for his fielding, the reflex catch at short leg off Krazy in the first dig in this match was brilliant

Boon was a shocking fieldsman until he made the bat/pad position his own and whilst Katich will never be a great out-fielder, if he maintains that sort of ability in close we certainly won't be a liability.