Simon Katich      

There were several outstanding achievements in Simon Katich's 2007-08, as he broke the record for most runs in a Pura Cup season, captained New South Wales to the first-class title and registered his highest score, along the way plundering nearly 200 in a session. The greatest individual honour came after the summer had finished and he was recalled to the Test squad for the tour of the West Indies. After a nervous first Test in Jamaica, Katich recovered superbly to finish the series with 113, 36 and 157. In 15 matches after his recall he became one of the side's most dependable men, scoring five centuries and averaging more than 50 as the senior opener. He deserved the fulfilling return.

There were several outstanding achievements in Simon Katich's 2007-08, as he broke the record for most runs in a Pura Cup season, captained New South Wales to the first-class title and registered his highest score, along the way plundering nearly 200 in a session. The greatest individual honour came after the summer had finished and he was recalled to the Test squad for the tour of the West Indies. After a nervous first Test in Jamaica, Katich recovered superbly to finish the series with 113, 36 and 157. In 15 matches after his recall he became one of the side's most dependable men, scoring five centuries and averaging more than 50 as the senior opener. He deserved the fulfilling return.

It was an adventure that seemed impossible when he lost his Cricket Australia contract in the 2007 off-season and signed a five-year deal with the Blues. But the selectors could not ignore his 1506 Pura Cup runs at 94.12, which surpassed the previous best in a season, Michael Bevan's 1464 at Tasmania in 2004-05. Katich was named Pura Cup Player of the Year and was the Man of the Match in the final victory after scoring 86 and 92. His campaign featured five centuries, including 306 against Queensland, the highest first-class score at the SCG since Don Bradman made 452 in 1929-30. Unbelievably, 184 of Katich's total came in an extended 150-minute post-lunch session.

Rather than trying to prove anything to the Australia selectors who axed him - he conceded he was struggling at the highest level and deserved to be dropped - Katich was simply enjoying batting without the expectation heaped on an international player. He had also worked on some technical issues that plagued him during 2005, when he was upset by reverse-swing in the Ashes and was bamboozled by Muttiah Muralitharan in the Super Series. Katich was soon downgraded to an ODI role only, but he could not hold down that spot as his top-order wariness was overshadowed by his fellow opener Adam Gilchrist. He was overlooked for the World Cup squad that triumphed in the Caribbean and had to settle for 711 Pura Cup runs at 64.63 in 2006-07 and leading the Blues to a final loss.

Ever since he was included in Western Australia's state squad in 1994-95 he looked destined for bigger things. His talents were on show in 1998-99 when he amassed 1039 first-class runs, including 115 in the final won by Western Australia, and earned a spot on the tour to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Katich was on the brink of a Test call-up in Sri Lanka when he contracted chicken pox and was quarantined. Unable to free himself of a virus that overcame him in the wake of that illness, he was forced to sit out much of the 1999-2000 domestic summer, but after a stellar 2000-01 - 1282 first-class runs and a century against every state - he was picked for the 2001 Ashes tour.

Replacing the injured Steve Waugh for the fourth Test, he made 15 and 0 not out on debut and had to wait two years for an opportunity against Zimbabwe, when his occasional left-arm chinaman bowling was surprisingly effective. He took 6 for 65 in the second innings in Sydney, which became his home when he switched to New South Wales and accepted the captaincy. Returning to the SCG later in the summer against India, he registered his maiden Test century and helped to ensure Waugh's final Test ended in a draw instead of a loss. He was in and out of the side in the next couple of years but his vicious first-class assault in 2007-08 helped him regain more Test recognition.
Cricinfo staff May 2009