Katich flies home with knee injury

A knee problem has forced Simon Katich to return to Australia a week early from a county stint with Hampshire. Katich suffered the injury while playing for the side, which is leading Division One of the County Championship for the first time since 1992, and a Hampshire spokesman said it was only a slight problem. "He's being careful," he told AAP.

Katich was supposed to play one more match before flying back for a camp in Brisbane with the Australia squads. He will travel to England with the limited-overs outfit on June 5 in preparation for the two one-day tournaments against England and Bangladesh. The five-Test series begins at Lord's on July 21.

The injury did not stop Katich batting or bowling in the Championship win over Glamorgan, and he leaves Hampshire after five games with 445 runs at 44.94. Shane Warne, their captain, is also slightly injured, but his finger problem will not stop him turning out against Warwickshire.