Aussie team meet over Katich axing

Australia captain Michael Clarke said a meeting between players has sorted out the issue of Simon Katich's axing ahead of Australia's tour of Sri Lanka next month.

Clarke took the initiative and summoned his players in a bid to get them to air their personal views in regard to the fallout over Katich. The opener has not been granted central contract.
Katich has already revealed that his axing has unsettled the entire team, with Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson both saying they were highly surprised by his omission.
After the meeting, Clarke said everyone was focussed on the Sri Lanka series and that they will start a camp in Brisbane this week.
"We had a couple of really good meetings which were really open in an environment where guys were comfortable to voice their opinion," Clarke told reporters.
"It was a closed environment which gave everyone the freedom to be themselves and say what they feel, get everything on the table. It was very positive.
"I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to say what they had to say and take it on board - as a group, we can now work together. We all walked out of that looking forward to what was in front of us," Clarke told AFP.
Australian coach Tim Nielsen said this week that Katich's axing was a clear sign that the national selectors wanted to "regenerate" the team.
But Clarke said players won't be "looking over their shoulder" on the Sri Lankan tour, where he will make his debut as fulltime Test captain since taking over from Ricky Ponting, who remains in the Test team as a batsman.
"Not at all. The boys are now feeling very comfortable," he said. "What has come from this camp is not only some hard work but everyone getting behind each other to work towards our goal of having as much success as we can.
"Unfortunately in this game, some people do get dropped but it is about supporting your mates and getting the best out of your team."
Australia will play two Twenty20s, five one-dayers and three Tests in Sri Lanka from August. Clarke said he hopes the Sri Lankan tour will herald a new era in Australian cricket, especially with former players Steve Rixon, Craig McDermott and Justin Langer added to the coaching staff.
"We've got some new coaching staff and some new exciting youngsters in the squad," Clarke said. "I guess it is a new start and we are all looking forward to getting as much success in all three forms as we can."