Katich to leave Derbyshire

Australian Simon Katich has announced he will quit Derbyshire at the end of the English County Championship season in a bid to earn an international recall.

The 32-year-old has averaged over 75 this summer but admits the strain of playing consecutive campaigns for Derbyshire and Australian state New South Wales has taken its toll.

The Derbyshire skipper said: "I have thought long and hard about this decision and it has been a difficult one for me to make."

"I have never played two back-to-back full seasons of county cricket, and being captain of both sides would make it very difficult because you can't keep going at 100 percent the whole time."

Derbyshire head of cricket John Morris revealed a desire to add to his 23 Test caps was behind Katich's decision.

"I am obviously disappointed that Simon feels unable to come back next year due to the fact that he still has ambitions to play for Australia," Morris said.

"He has never returned to England for a back-to-back second term with any of the other counties that he has represented in the past.

"Simon feels that if he is to achieve his ambition to one day play for Australia again, he needs to commit his future to New South Wales.

"We have made a financial offer to Simon that I am sure was very attractive, but I have to respect that his decision is not financial but is purely to do with his own ambitions as an Australian player."

Katich has shone for Derbyshire this season despite its inability to challenge for promotion from County Championship Division Two, while also struggling in all the one-day competitions.

He previously played for Durham, Hampshire and Yorkshire on the county circuit.