Greg Matthews

Greg Matthews: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

Greg Matthews Fumes Over Punches Not Thrown

What he said:

“One thing he got wrong was that he did not put one on Clarke when he should have.”

Former Australian off-spinner, Greg Matthews, opines on the spat between Australian opener Simon Katich and current skipper Michael Clarke.

Katich and Clarke were involved in an altercation in 2009 during which Katich grabbed Pup’s throat.

Cricket Australia have summoned Katich to a disciplinary hearing for claiming that Clarke was responsible for his Test sacking. Clarke denies the accusation.

Speaking to Foxsports, Matthews said:

"Can anyone truly, and I don’t care if the press are here or not, can anyone just truly say to me what did he get wrong?”

Matthews added:

If a guy speaks his mind, wouldn’t you rather hear what’s really going on in there, the way it really was?
Who would you rather go into war with? This cat (Katich) or Clarke? Or Andrew Symonds for that matter? Everyone forgets about Andrew Symonds getting flicked as well. Truth doesn’t happen in this game anymore.

Matthews feels that Katich would have made a better skipper:

"Pick this guy (Katich) as captain, get (Tim) Paine in as vice-captain I tell you what, we’d be doing a lot better than how we’re doing today."

The disciplinary hearing is scheduled for November 21, 2011. Katich is represented by sports lawyer, Darren Kane.

In related news, Australian radio broadcaster, Alan Jones, threw his voice behind the disgruntled opener.

Speaking to the Sun Herald, Jones said:

These people want robots. Cricket Australia don’t employ Simon Katich. What’s he guilty of? He’s guilty of having an opinion … There’s not one sporting person in Australia who would agree with what’s being done to Katich.

[Cricket Australia] could not justify dismissal on merit. Now, is he a bad example? Has he behaved badly? He’s a role model to all cricketers. His standards, his manner, his values and courtesy have shone and they’re the reasons why he was touted as a future Australian cricket captain and why he was brought from Perth to captain NSW.

And now he’s being presented as some sort of pariah. It won’t wash … Cricket Australia are playing with fire.

What Greg Matthews really meant:

“What’s a punch-up without a punch?”

What Greg Matthews definitely didn’t:

“Who’s punch-drunk?”