Melbourne, Aug 1 (UNI) Former Australia captain George Bailey has been appointed as the chairman of the National Selection Panel, replacing Trevor Hohns who is retiring after two successful stints, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Sunday.
Bailey, who played 90 ODIs, 30 T20I and 5 Tests for Australia and led the team in 57 fixtures (29 ODIs and 28 T20Is) in all, joined the selection panel last February as a replacement for Greg Chappell.
As per CA release, Ben Oliver, Cricket Australia’s Executive General Manager, High Performance and National Teams, said the search had begun for a third panel member to join Bailey and head coach Justin Langer.
“George is a highly respected leader who is now well established on the NSP alongside Justin as the head coach. He has brought recent playing experience with a deep understanding of the game, an open and collaborative style and a desire to keep improving the selection function,’ Oliver said.
‘The third panel member will add to their combined experience as we look for someone who will bring complimentary skills along with their own perspective and diversity of thinking,’ he added.
Bailey said he was looking forward to the new role and an exciting period ahead for the Australian men’s side with the ICC T20 World Cup, a home Ashes and away tours to the subcontinent in the short term.
‘Firstly, I would like to thank Trevor for his incredible work which has helped shape the success of Australian cricket over a long period, including during my days as a player and captain,’ he said.
‘In what can be a challenging job Trevor has always been calm, consistent and approachable. Similarly to his journey, he has made my transition from player to selector as smooth as possible. There is a lot I will take from Trevor’s style and very much look forward to the journey ahead,’ he added.
Hohns joined the Australian selection panel in 1991, just two years after his retirement following the 1989 Ashes, and has served two stints as the chairman of the panel – from 1995 to 2005 and 2016 to 2021.
In his tenure, Australia went on to win five straight Ashes series, and a record 16 consecutive Test wins.
Australia’s most dominant era in ODI cricket also came during Hohns’s time as they won back-to-back World Cups in 1999 and 2003. Hohns has also overseen the emergence and selection of some of Australia’s greatest sides across formats.
‘The game has been great to me and I have loved every minute of it, from the good times to the bad.
I have been extremely fortunate to be involved with some of the greatest Australian teams of all time and many of the best players to have played the game,’ Hohns said.
The successes of the side over the years have been great but I remember my time just as much for the wonderful people you work with and those you meet along the way. It has been an amazing journey for me, but all things come to an end. I am happy with my decision,’ he added.
