Perth Scorchers skipper Simon Katich said his side are “happy with where we are at” as they prepared to take on the Sydney Sixers in the KFC T20 Big Bash League match at the SCG on Friday.
“We are also realistic to know we’ve been fortunate on a few occasions to win games we shouldn’t have”, Katich admitted. “But we know if we start to get things right, particularly with the bat, we can make it easier for ourselves.
“Sixers are a great team, they are right up there, equal points with us, so it’s a massive game for us. The aim is to get to the semis and anything can happen.”
“I don’t think it changes too much”, Katich suggested when asked about his finger injury. “It’s been like that for three weeks. I thought someone might have picked up on it given I can’t shake hands at the toss, given it’s my right hand, but I don’t think it changes too much.”
Katich will begin full-time work as the GWS Giants Player Development Coordinator next month and is excited at the prospecy.
“Coming from a different sport, even though it’s a totally different sport, there’s a lot of disciplines and traits that you need in all sport to try and be successful”, he said. “I’ve had a lot of experience as a captain in cricket and hopefully that will hold me in good stead in this new role. I’ll be learning a lot from the guys, the coaching staff, so it’ll be a great learning curve for me as well.”
Alfonso Thomas is in the mix to return from injury for the Sixers clash. The second-placed Scorchers have lost the services of Shaun Marsh and Nathan Coulter-Nile, who won Man of the Match honours in Tuesday’s victory over Hobart Hurricanes, due to commitments with the Australian ODI squad.
However, their absences open the door for the return of international fast bowler Thomas along with left-arm paceman Ryan Duffield.
Hilton Cartwright retains his place in the Scorchers’ 13-man squad having replaced Thomas shortly prior to Tuesday’s game with the South African battling a back complaint.
Thomas’ injury status will continue to be monitored ahead of Friday’s match against the third-placed Sixers.
Perth Scorchers 13-man squad v Sixers: Simon Katich (c), Yasir Arafat, Michael Beer, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Ryan Duffield, Brad Hogg, Mitch Marsh, Craig Simmons, Alfonso Thomas, Ashton Turner, Adam Voges, Sam Whiteman.
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
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