New South Wales v Queensland, Pura Cup, Sydney, 3rd day

Katich's 306 reminds selectors of his worth

Cricinfo staff

October 28, 2007

Queensland 467 and 0 for 23 trail New South Wales 8 for 601 dec (Katich 306, Haddin 123, Thornely 64, Noffke 5-108) by 111 runs
Scorecard

Simon Katich had a day to remember © Getty Images

Simon Katich made an emphatic statement in the lead-up to Australia's six-Test summer, smashing a career-best 306 in front of a national selector while also earning New South Wales first-innings points against Queensland. Katich crawled to triple-figures from 204 balls but cut loose in the middle session, cracking 184 in the two and a half hours between lunch and tea.

His second hundred took 75 deliveries and his third came in 67 as the spinners Chris Simpson and Daniel Doran suffered the most. With Jamie Cox, one of the Australia selectors who axed Katich from the contract list during the off-season, watching on, Katich struck 30 fours and nine sixes in reaching the highest first-class score at the SCG since Don Bradman made 452 in 1929-30.

Brad Haddin was in fine form as well, striking 123 as he and Katich added 334 for the fifth wicket. Dominic Thornely (64) supported Katich during the opening session after New South Wales resumed at 3 for 151, still 316 short of Queensland's total.

It seemed Katich would bat on indefinitely until Ashley Noffke, who grabbed 5 for 108, ended his seven-hour innings. Mitchell Johnson's 0 for 134 was hardly the result he wanted ahead of a potential Test debut, as the Blues finally declared at 8 for 601. The Bulls had cut their deficit to 111 at stumps, reaching 0 for 23 with Matthew Hayden on 14 and Ryan Broad on 9.

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