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Katich jokes with Connolly and plans to emulate Benaud after baggy green presentation
Lachlan Geleit • February 7th, 2025 11:58 am
SEN Cricket’s Simon Katich was honoured to be asked to present Cooper Connolly with baggy green number 471 before the first Test in Galle on Thursday.
The 56-Test former opener was asked by coach Andrew McDonald to conduct the ceremony on Wednesday, and the former left-hander was thrilled to take the opportunity.
Having been around the team when the baggy green presentations started in 1999, Katich spoke about why it was brought in by then captain Steve Waugh and reminisced on receiving his cherished cap from the legendary Richie Benaud on his Test debut at Leeds in 2001.
“It was a very proud moment for Cooper, and I was very honoured to be asked,” Katich told SEN Cricket.
“Andrew McDonald texted me last night asking if I'd be able to do it at 9:15 this morning and I said, I'd definitely be very proud and honoured to do it. I woke up at 3 am this morning that excited.
“I wanted to sort of talk to the group about the history of the baggy green presentation because it came in in 1999 around my time, and I think Steve Waugh brought it in from the point of view that he wanted to connect the past of Australian cricket to the future.
“In that particular instance, I think Adam Gilchrist was the first one to have his presented by Bill Brown at the Gabba in 1999. Then a couple of years later, I was fortunate to have mine presented by, Richie Benaud.
“I told that story about what Richie said, and that’s what the baggy green means to me.”
Katich has never forgotten what Benaud told him at his cap presentation and the bond they formed thereafter, even if it meant that the cricket icon reminded him about every bad shot that he got out to for the remainder of his Aussie career.
Having shared that relationship with Benaud during his time as a player, Katich says he’ll be showing a similar level of interest in Connolly throughout his career … where he’ll also jokingly remind the youngster whenever things go wrong in the middle.
“I had a little bit of a joke saying that Richie took an avid part in my career after that, which is what the whole point of why Steve Waugh set it up,” Katich said.
“I said he'd always remind me if I played a bad shot, and I said, ‘Cooper, it'll be exactly the same with me, mate’.
“He and his family had a bit of a laugh about that, but it was nice to be able to sort of tell the group too, what I'd heard about him (Connolly).
“I don't know him that well, but I have heard a lot of very good things about him from my mates in WA who either coach him there or work at the WACA or with the Scorchers.
“I then wished him all the best for his career, which I hope will be a long and very successful one.”
Connolly bowled three overs and finished with figures of 0/12 on Day 1 as Sri Lanka made it to stumps 9/229 after batting first in Galle. Day 2 begins at 3:30 pm (AEDT), listen to every ball LIVE on SEN and the SEN app.
