Former Australian limited-overs captain George Bailey is ready to take up a new big responsibility on his shoulder. On Wednesday (27th November), Cricket Australia (CA) has announced that George Bailey will play the full-time national selector role after the conclusion of the upcoming season of Big Bash League (BBL 2019/20).
The 37-year-old George Bailey is in the final chapter of his cricket career. In his last season, Bailey is playing for Tasmania in domestic cricket and will serve in Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League 2019/20. At the end of this season, Bailey will say goodbye the cricket career but he will also start another new journey.
After ending his cricket career, George Bailey will join the National Selection Panel for the Australian men’s national cricket team.
The Executive General Manager (EGM) of National Teams, Ben Oliver said, “We’re thrilled to have George join the National Selection Panel. He is an outstanding leader and one of the most respected, thoughtful and generous figures in international cricket.
“George’s international and domestic playing career speaks for itself. His extensive experience across all formats and deep knowledge of T20 cricket will be invaluable as we head into a home T20 World Cup and beyond. We’re also excited about the broader impact that George will have on Australian cricket as we work to connect more closely with players, coaches and high-performance staff across the country.”
I’m confident I can add value to the selection process – George Bailey
George Bailey has played for Australian national cricket team between 2012 and 2017. The top-order right-handed batsman has played five Tests, 90 ODIs and 30 T20Is where he has scored 183 (average 26.14), 3,044 (average 40.58) and 473 runs (average 24.89) respectively.
George Bailey led the Australian side in 29 ODIs and 28 T20Is where his team won 16 ODIs and 14 T20Is. He was a member of the Australian side in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 which Australia won at the end. However, Bailey played only the opening game for his team in that tournament and he led in that game too.
While George Bailey feels fortunate to get another big opportunity in the national cricket team, he is confident to make a valuable impact in this new role.
Bailey said. “been fortunate enough to contribute as a player for quite a few years, and to now have the opportunity to continue in the role of selector is a tremendous honour.”
“I am passionate about the long-term success of the Australian cricket team and advancing the cause of Australian cricket in general. I’m confident I can add value to the selection process and that my experience will be complementary to that of Trevor and Justin. I am really excited to be joining them in the coming months.”
In his professional cricket career, George Bailey has played 159 first-class matches, 275 List A games and 199 T20s.