FORMER Test and one-day all-rounder Tony Dodemaide has been confirmed as Australia’s newest men’s selector, filling the seat vacated by Trevor Hohns.

The 58-year-old Melburnian will join Tasmania’s George Bailey and current head coach Justin Langer on the National Selection Panel when he takes up the role in mid-November, ahead of the Vodafone Ashes series.

Dodemaide, who is 10 years younger than Hohns, brings to the panel extensive experience as a highly respected and successful administrator following high profile stints in Victoria, Western Australia and London. He is currently general manager of Hockey One, the new elite national competition for Australian hockey.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a contribution not only in the immediate tournaments and series but also in helping to chart the medium to longer term course of the Australian men’s teams,” Dodemaide said.

“I can’t wait to offer my experience in cricket as a player and in management to assist George (Bailey) and JL (Langer) but also the wider Australian cricket high performance network.

“Throughout my cricket journey I have often been close to high performance and selection, so I feel well suited to and prepared for this role.”
Dodemaide joins the panel ahead of a busy period for the Australian team, who are currently in the UAE for the T20 World Cup.

The team will host England for the Ashes from December 8 in Brisbane, and immediately after will play three ODIs and a T20I against New Zealand before the five-match Dettol T20I series against Sri Lanka that finishes on February 20 next year, after which the Test team are scheduled to make their first visit to Pakistan in almost 24 years.

Hohns stepped away from selection duties in July at the expiry of his contract, having served two stints in the high-profile position from 1995 to 2005 and 2016 to 2021.

Bailey, 39, chairs the three-person panel and is the only member with extensive experience of playing T20 cricket, having joined fresh from the end of his playing days in February 2020.

(Cricket.com.au).