(REUTERS) – Jamie Cox has quit Australia’s national selection committee and will not apply to be part of the group that replaces the current panel. The disastrous Ashes campaign at the start of the year prompted Cricket Australia to order a review by a panel chaired by prominent businessman Don Argus, who recommended a number of sweeping reforms.
One of those reforms is an expansion of the selection panel from three to five members, comprising the captain and coach of the team, two part-time selectors and a full-time chairman.
“I have made the decision not to apply for a position on the National Selection Panel recently declared open as part of the National Team Performance Review,” Cox was quoted as saying in a CA statement.
“There is a clear mood for change and I think it’s time for a new panel to be given the opportunity to set its own direction without links to the past,” said the former Tasmania opener, who replaced Allan Border on the panel in 2006.
“It has been a true privilege to serve Australian cricket in this role since the 2006-07 summer and whilst the transition from our era of dominance has been challenging, I leave the role strong in the belief that we have a terrific group of young men emerging to lead Australia back up the Test cricket rankings,” Cox added.
England retained the Ashes with a 3-1 series victory in Australia at the start of the year, relegating the former number one side down to fifth in the ICC Test rankings.