 A severe mental illness abruptly ended the Test career of Trott at the age of 31 . After a series of seizures in 1898 , he suffered from insomnia , apathy and memory loss . Failing to recover lucidity , he was committed to a psychiatric hospital for over 400 days . After he was discharged , in time he returned to cricket , once again playing first @-@ class cricket for his state , Victoria , and performing at a consistently high level for his club , South Melbourne . A postman by trade , after retirement from cricket Trott served as a selector for the Victorian team . 
