Katich rules himself out of fifth Ashes Test

MELBOURNE - Australian batsman Simon Katich, who was training strongly in a bid to return to the squad for the fifth Ashes Test, has ruled himself out of the Sydney New Year’s Test, declaring that he has not yet recovered from an Achilles injury.

Katich hobbled through much of the fourth day of the Adelaide Test after partially tearing his Achilles tendon, an injury many suspected would be series ending.

Katich said hobbling through the Adelaide Test with the injury had convinced him he would not be able to get through five days of cricket.

“Initially the physio told me three months. I’ll listen to the physio’s advice and I know that it’s not quite right yet,” The Daily Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

“I definitely wouldn’t think I’d be there (in Sydney) but it’s definitely feeling a lot better than it did in Adelaide,” Katich said. (ANI)