MELBOURNE: Deeply hurt after being axed from Cricket Australia's list of contracted players, Test opener Simon Katich on Friday said he saw it coming as this was not the first time he was treated "unfairly" by the board.

The 35-year-old played opener had to play his last four Tests with serious injuries and feels he has been judged on that and not the fact that he was the second-highest run-scorer in Tests since returning to the side in 2008.

"Do I think I have been treated fairly? Not at all, not at all," Katich told ''The Australian'' in an exclusive interview.

"From my point of view, I have had to play through injuries in the last four Test matches, two with a broken thumb and two with a torn achilles."

"I didn't want to play Test cricket like that although I know that is what they have judged me on."

"In India, they kept telling me it was a bruised thumb and I could hardly hold the bat but they kept telling me it was bruised so I thought 'Well I can't not play Test cricket if it's a bruise'," he added.

Cricket Australia on Tuesday left out Katich from its list of contracted players saying the national selection panel was trying to encourage young cricketers for the upcoming 2011-12 season.

Ruminating over that fateful day, Katich said he was at the SCG on Tuesday when he saw NSP chairman Andrew Hilditch''s name appear on the screen of his mobile phone.

"I was in the middle of a fitness test, saw the phone ringing and saw who it was and thought 'Damn, I better answer this'," Katich said.

"I knew full well what it was, I didn't want him to have the luxury of leaving a message, so I grabbed it."

"It's funny, I have been treated like this before by them. I have been down this path a number of times," he added.

'Katich shouldn't have been the only 30-plus axed'

MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia should not have stopped at just veteran batsman Simon Katich while axing 30-somethings from its list of contracted players, feels spin legend Shane Warne.

The 35-year-old Katich's dropping from the list has prompted strong reactions from a lot of former players, who believe that the veteran left-hander has been given the cold shoulder despite being in reasonably good form.

In fact, Katich is expected to make an announcement on his future tomorrow and speculation is rife that he might retire.

Warne said he was also disappointed by CA's decision but could understand the reasons behind it.

"Katich losing his contract was a bit disappointing because I think he's been a true performer for a while. But I understand the logic of leaving him out," Warne told radio station 'Triple M'.


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