Batsman in line to replace Clarke in Jamaica

'Awkward situation' for hopeful Katich

Cricinfo staff

May 14, 2008

	Simon Katich's amazing season with New South Wales put him on the West Indies tour. The absence of Michael Clarke may get him in the first Test team © Getty Images

Simon Katich says the prospect of regaining his place in the Test side in Michael Clarke's absence is an "awkward situation". Clarke appears to be out of contention for the first game, which starts in Jamaica on May 22, and Katich is the likely beneficiary of the batsman's decision to stay home to help his fiancée Lara Bingle through the death of her father.

Katich has come back into the Test squad for the first time since West Indies visited in 2005, having completed a record-breaking season of 1506 Pura Cup runs for New South Wales. He said a recall would be a reward for his work over the past three seasons, "but it is something of an awkward situation".

"It is very delicate," he told AAP. "Obviously we don't know when Pup is going to arrive, so it is a bit of an unfortunate situation."

The second Test in Antigua from May 30 appears to be the best option for Clarke, who was due to start his first Test tour as vice-captain until withdrawing last week. Brad Hodge, who was taking part in the Indian Premier League, has joined the party as a shadow player until Clarke arrives, but is only an outside chance of entering the first-team calculations.

Australia's only warm-up before the opening Test is the three-day affair against a Jamaica XI from Friday and Katich is likely to win a chance to impress. "It's just a matter of hopefully playing the tour match and then hopefully getting some runs in that and putting my name up there for selectors to hopefully pick me," Katich said. "I've been picked as the extra batsman and my role is to just make sure I'm ready to go if something happens, and that hasn't changed."

Katich is determined to "grab the opportunity" and hopes to add to his 23 Tests. "I didn't make the most of it the last time around," Katich said. "I had plenty of opportunities to try and nail down a spot and I didn't. If you don't grab the opportunities when they're there, you just don't know when they will come back around."

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