“Extremely fortunate” – Trevor Hohns looks back at his 21-year career as Australian selector

Former Australian cricketer Trevor Hohns retired as Australia men’s team’s chief selector after two stints and a cumulative of 21 years in service, including 16 as chairman. Summing up his journey as “amazing”, Trevor Hohns said he was “extremely fortunate” to be involved with some of the greatest in the sport.

Former national captain George Bailey has now replaced Hohns as Australia’s chief selector.

Trevor Hohns, a leg-spinner all-rounder from Queensland, played seven Tests for Australia towards the end of his career in 1989. He was Australia’s chairman of selectors between 1995 and 2005 – a stint that was highly successful.

Australia played the final of all the World Cups held in that period, winning the 1999 and 2003 editions. During that time, Australia also enjoyed an unparalleled run in Test cricket. The golden era saw them register 16 consecutive Test victories under Steve Waugh’s captaincy. In 2004, Australia also won a Test series in India for the first time in 35 years.

“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,” Trevor Hohns was quoted by Cricket Australia.

“The successes of the side over the years has 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 said.

The second phase of Trevor Hohns’ chairmanship wasn’t any less eventful. In 2016, the side was whitewashed 0-3 in Sri Lanka and later lost a home series to South Africa. Less than two years later, the ball-tampering saga hit Australian cricket hard. The Trevor Hohns-led selection committee appointed Tim Paine as national captain. He was also part of the selection committee when Australia won the 2015 World Cup.

A huge thank you and congratulations to Trevor Hohns, who first joined the National Selection Panel back in 1991. Trevor retires having played an integral part in some of the greatest successes in Australian cricket 👏 pic.twitter.com/0Dn4k5jwv7

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) August 1, 2021

Trevor Hohns’ impact on Australian cricket unparalleled: Cricket Australia

Ben Oliver, Cricket Australia’s (CA) high-performance chief, paid tribute to Trevor Hohn’s service and stated that the former cricketer had an unparalleled impact on the national setup.

“The impact Trevor has had on Australian cricket has been unparalleled over a long period of time. For someone to have played such an integral part in so many incredible eras is a feat few, if any, ever achieve," he said.

“The role of the national selector is one of the most scrutinized in Australian sport, and Trevor has performed it with great strength, judgment and humility. We will miss his experience but respect his decision to take a step back from the game and are grateful for his stewardship,” said Ben Oliver.

George Bailey, Trevor Hohns’ successor as Australia’s chief selector, thanked him for the incredible work that shaped Australian cricket.

“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,” said Bailey.

“In what can be a challenging job, Trevor Hohns has always been calm, consistent and approachable. Similar to his journey, he has made my transition from player to a selector as smooth as possible, and there is a lot I will take from Trevor’s style and very much look forward to the journey ahead,” he concluded.

Cricket Australia have confirmed that they are now searching for a third member of the national selection committee, which is headed by George Bailey and also includes head coach Justin Langer. The committee’s two biggest tasks this year are selecting the T20 World Cup squad, followed by the Ashes.

ICYMI: Trevor Hohns calls time on his lengthy tenure as Australian selector: https://t.co/eN9SXSMizd

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) July 30, 2021