With Lawry's defensive leadership under heavy fire he was dropped along with three other players, becoming the first Australian captain to be dropped in the middle of a series. He was not informed privately by the Board and only found out after his axing was made public. The Australian selectors Don Bradman, Sam Loxton and Neil Harvey delayed the announcement while they tried to locate Lawry at the end of the Sixth Test, but he had already left for his home in Melbourne and they were unable to find him. He first heard the news on the radio and the selectors were much maligned in the press as a result. Lawry never played for Australia again despite being only 33 and averaging 47.15, but began his 40-year career as a commentator in the Seventh Test, saying "Well, I suppose we all have to get around to it some day". Two days earlier, after lengthy discussion, the ACB had voted 7–6 to acknowledge and respond to Lawry's letter following the South African tour, although their reply did not address Lawry's concerns. His successor Chappell condemned the Board's actions as "unbelievable". Immediately after his appointment, the new leader told his wife "The bastards won't get me the way they got Bill", and he later went out on his own terms. Victorian and Australian teammate Paul Sheahan said "The fact that no-one had the courage to tell him he was to lose his job as Australian captain was disgraceful." At the same time, Sheahan said that Lawry was "a bit of an autocrat" and "not the sort of captain who stood alongside you and drew the best out of you."