Simon Katich to bow out with Roses Match debut

Simon Katich has hit 185 runs for Lancashire in nine FP t20 matches

Simon Katich could find himself heading for the cricket quiz books at Old Trafford this week when he makes his first-class debut for Lancashire.

After nine Twenty20 games in his short stay in England, the Aussie Test player has been picked for the Roses Match.

But, in a quaint twist, Monday's County Championship debut will also be Katich's last game for Lancashire.

"It would be nice to get a few runs and beat them. I certainly now know all about the Roses Match," said Katich.

"I found about that up at Headingley a week ago when they beat us in the Twenty20.

"Hopefully, we can turn the tables on them and send them packing," added the 35-year-old Western Australian, who made one Championship appearance and three one-day appearances for the Tykes in a short sojourn at Headingley eight years ago.

Going into the 251st Roses Match, neither county has played any Championship cricket side since they last finished hostilities at a rain-hit Headingley on 1 June.

It has not just been about having a hit before the Tests. It's like when I'm back home playing in the Sheffield Shield, it's about trying to contribute and win games of cricket for Lancashire

Simon Katich

Despite being denied the chance of victory by the weather, Lancashire still managed to close the gap on Yorkshire to six points and remove them from the top of the table to second place.

And, although Somerset's win against Warwickshire later in the week relegated Lancashire to fourth, Peter Moores' men resume their Championship programme just 15 points behind leaders Nottinghamshire with all still to play for.

"We've played one game less than Yorkshire," said Katich. If we get a win, then we can jump above them and still have a game in hand.

"But they're a good team so we've got a bit of hard work to do first."

Although Katich now heads off on Test duty for the Aussies' two-match Test series with Pakistan, starting at Lord's on 13 July, the former Durham, Hampshire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire player is due to leave Manchester with happy memories of his fifth experience of English county cricket.

"I've enjoyed my whole time here," he said. "It has not just been about having a hit before the Tests.

"It's like when I'm back home playing in the Sheffield Shield, it's about trying to contribute and win games of cricket for Lancashire.

"And I've been really impressed with the word go here, especially with the attitude.

"We had it tough last week with three straight losses.

"But we sat down, had a chat and there were no excuses, just the need to play a bit smarter. And we've now had three top wins.

"That does a lot for confidence, but really it's all about character. We've turned it round when it could easily have gone the other way."

Lancashire (from): G Chapple (capt), S C Moore, P J Horton, L D Sutton, S M Katich, M J Chilton, S J Croft, T C Smith, D B L Powell, K W Hogg, S P Cheetham, S C Kerrigan.

Yorkshire (possible): A W Gale (capt), A Lyth, J J Sayers, A McGrath, J A Rudolph, J M Bairstow (wk), A U Rashid, A Shahzad, T Best, S A Patterson, O Hannon-Dalby.