Marsh: Chill out Katich!

Simon Katich’s continued selection as Australian opener has caused some controversy, with many Australian fans unhappy at the unspectacular nature of his batting. His strike rate in recent times is far less than his team-mates, which was highlighted when fast bowler turned commentator Jeff Thomson compared watching his 25 of 66 balls in the DLF Cup final to “watching paint dry.”

He does have the support of Geoff Marsh, however. Marsh, who performed a similar role in the Australian side of the late 80’s, told “Fox Sports News”, “If he wants to play the sheet-anchor role, he has got to play it well. That means rotating the strike, as simple as that. He’s got to get his confidence back as he can play all the shots and strike the ball nicely.”

That is easier said than done, however, given the immense pressure that Katich is under. Should he fail in the Champions Trophy, it is likely that either Phil Jacques or Matthew Hayden will get the nod during the VB Series, and possibly the World Cup.