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Waugh signals exit from T20 selector role

Former batsman Mark Waugh opts not to seek new contract after signing on as commentator for Fox Sports

Mark Waugh has stood down from his role on the National Selection Panel as change continues to sweep through Australian cricket.

Waugh, the legendary Australia batsman, will see out his current contract, which runs through to the end of August, but will not seek a renewal.

It means he will fulfil his duties as planned on the forthcoming tours of England – where Australia play five ODIs and a one-off T20 – and Zimbabwe, where Australia is due to play a T20 tri-series against the hosts and Pakistan.

Australia name T20 squad for UK, Zimbabwe tours

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with the National Selection Panel, and it has been a tough decision to choose not to continue in my role," Waugh said.

"Working alongside my fellow selectors, the coaching staff and players over the past four years has been a privilege, and I'm proud of the achievements of the Australian teams across all formats in this time.

"I firmly believe Australian cricket has a wealth of talented players in its ranks right now, and I look forward to watching the team continue to go from strength to strength in the years to come."

Waugh this week signed on to Fox Sports' commentary team after the subscription-tv service jointly won the rights to broadcast the Australian summer of cricket in a $1.182 billion, six-year deal with Channel Seven.

Waugh is currently on the selection panel alongside Trevor Hohns, the chairman, former captain Greg Chappell and new head coach Justin Langer.

"We thank Mark for his service over the past four years and the great job he has done as a National Selector," said Pat Howard, Cricket Australia's executive general manager, team performance.

"Being a selector is not an easy task, and Mark has made an important contribution to Australia's on-field success alongside his fellow panel members.

"Mark was specifically brought in for white-ball cricket and he should be very pleased with his contribution to the 2015 World Cup victory.

"In recent times, Mark's in-depth knowledge of the T20 game and the KFC Big Bash League has come to the fore.

"As lead selector in this format, he has identified talent in the Big Bash League and helped to create a strong Australian T20 squad, which has risen up to second on the ICC rankings and laid a platform for what we hope will be a successful World T20 campaign in 2020 on home soil.

"We're disappointed to lose Mark, but wish him all the best in his new role and we are pleased he will still have heavy involvement in the game."

The 52-year-old joined Australia's four-man National Selection Panel in May 2014, at the same time as previous chairman Rod Marsh.

Marsh resigned in November 2016 after five straight Test defeats culminated in a heavy innings defeat against South Africa in Hobart. That prompted an overhaul of the panel and Waugh took on a role specialising in the national T20 side in March the following year.

Australia's poor track record in T20 internationals was partly behind the decision to split the panel and make Waugh a T20-only selector sitting on a two-man panel along with the head coach, a position now held by Langer.

Waugh's remit had been to oversee the development of a squad that would challenge for the World T20 tournament to be held on home soil in 2020. It remains the only global tournament the Australian men's team has not won.

Hohns, who is contracted until February 2020, said at the time of the overhaul: "I think it certainly makes sense to separate the T20 format of the game from the others because we are, in effect, trying to increase our performance in that format and also our ranking ... so it does make sense to have a little bit of a split panel in that area."

Australia were languishing in seventh when the split was made, but currently sit second on the ICC's T20 team rankings, just four rating points behind Pakistan.

A Cricket Australia statement said a decision on whether to replace Waugh directly or again change the structure of the national selection panel would be made in due course. 

Check out Australia's new-look ODI squad

Waugh, who mixed selection duties with KFC BBL commentary for Network Ten, will reunite in the commentary box with Adam Gilchrist after both signed up with Fox Sports.

Waugh, whose commentary duties are expected to cover all formats of the game, was joined by Mel Jones, Mike Hussey, Isa Guha and Michael Vaughan in joining the pay-tv broadcaster's commentary team.

"I'm looking forward to working with Gilly," Waugh told News Corp. "We get on well. He's a knowledgeable guy and he's easy to work with.

"Fox have got a great crew together. AB (Allan Border) and BJ (Brendon Julian) are guys I've worked with a lot and it's going to be exciting to see how it all pans out.

"They've got a dedicated channel, which is a first in Australia for cricket. There's going to be a lot of content on there and the coverage of all the different formats is going to be huge. It's exciting times."

ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Qantas Tour of England

June 7: Warm-up v Sussex, Hove (D/N)

June 9: Warm-up v Middlesex, Lord's

June 13: First ODI, The Oval (D/N)

June 16: Second ODI, Cardiff

June 19: Third ODI, Trent Bridge (D/N)

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Monday, July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

Tuesday, July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Wednesday, July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Thursday, July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

Friday, July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 8: Final