Don King could hardly ask for a more fitting build-up to a looming prize-fight. Simon Katich - the tenacious, hairy, unconventional, grinderman - versus Michael Clarke - the metrosexual, billboard-dominating, socialite of Australian sport.

The pair even have a brief, yet much-publicised history of combat, dating back to the SCG test in 2009. Katich sought to play the patriot, whilst Clarke sought to meet up with his model girlfriend.

If they were allowed to sort their differences out in the ring, it is more than likely that Simon Katich would be triumphant. Not surprisingly, Cricket Australia is attempting to avoid such a scenario.

It's difficult not to admire Katich for what he has achieved. He isn't pretty to watch at the crease. But he invariably forces the opposition to earn his wicket. As opposed to Michael Clarke, he is a cricketer who has squeezed every last ounce out of his ability.

In the past four months Simon Katich has revealed a different side of his character. He publicly unleashed in June when he discovered that he had been axed from Cricket Australia's 25-man contract list.

In The Age last Sunday, Chloe Saltau suggested that Katich's initial outburst had earned him widespread admiration among Australian cricket followers.

"He (Katich) exposed inconsistent and incoherent selection policies that had been subject to behind the scenes grumblings for some time."

Perhaps, given his service to his country, Katich could be forgiven for his initial outburst? Yet his latest tirade, even if there is merit to it, reeks of pre-meditation and sour grapes.

Katich appeared to be in a combative mood following his match-saving century against Victoria at the SCG:

"You don't have to be Einstein to figure out that it's not just the selectors who had a part in sending me on my way," said Katich.

And just in case anyone wasn't entirely clear on the subject of Katich's roast, he was willing to elaborate.

"To be brutally honest, what happened in the dressing room a few years ago didn't help my cause."

Katich's adaptation of ‘brutal honesty' would be better suited to promoting a ‘Rumble in the Jungle' in Zaire than whatever bizarre motive he had in mind.

For all the uproar which Katich's axing created in June, it is worth actually examining its merit.

Known Katich supporter, Malcolm Conn, wrote an interesting article in the Herald Sun last Sunday. One particular sentence leapt off the page:

"Some are affronted that Katich has been reported by Cricket Australia for simply speaking his mind about his unjustified sacking in June."

Let's not even bother to speculate as to who Conn was referring to in his deployment of the term ‘some'. It was interesting that he used the word ‘unjustified' to describe Katich's sacking, as though there could be no other tangible way to view the decision.

Fortunately, Chloe Saltau was prepared to approach the issue without blinkers on.

"He (Katich) was axed because it was unsustainable to take three 36-year-olds into a rebuilding period."

Put simply, at least one of Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey and Simon Katich needed to go for the balance and future of the batting line-up.

Given Hussey's output in the past 12 months (including man-of-the-match performances in Australia's past three test matches) it would have been impossible to drop him.

Ponting is an interesting one. He has hardly set the world on fire in the test arena in recent years. However he remains a more damaging batsman than Katich. Despite ‘inadvertently' breaking the odd television screen in a fit of rage, he hasn't grabbed the captain by the throat yet.

Katich's axing, although controversial, is a decision which has already born fruit. Would Shaun Marsh have been given an opportunity if Katich had clung on to his spot for dear life? Would Phil Hughes - 14 years Katich's junior - have been given an extended opportunity to resurrect his test career in Sri Lanka?

Malcolm Conn did make one pragmatic concession about his beloved Kat:

"Instead of the focus now being on the future...some unpleasant pieces of history have again been dredged up."

It's unfortunate. There are some promising signs which are a direct result of the rebuilding phase which Cricket Australia is attempting to set in motion.

Young tearaway Patrick Cummins is on the cusp of making his test debut. Nathan Lyon took five wickets on debut in Galle. Usman Khawaja continues to make elegant starts without capitalising on them. Tim Paine is breathing heavily down Brad Haddin's spine.

It's time for someone to rescue the Kat from the hot tin roof before he irreparably hurts himself. There's plenty to admire about Simon Katich; probably more than there is to admire about Michael Clarke. But if he continues to tell it how he sees it, he might be remembered for all the wrong reasons.