Famous Cricketers No 63 - A.O.Jones

Throughout his rugby career, Jones’ main positions were, initially, three-quarter and later full back. In those days the sporting seasons did not overlap and so it was possible for sportsmen, amateur and professional, to have a full winter and a summer career in different sports. 1891 In the season between leaving Bedford Modern School and going up to Cambridge University, Arthur Owen played for a variety of teams. The fledgling Bedfordshire County Cricket Club played home and away matches against Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Norfolk. Of the home matches, two were played at Bedford, one in Luton and the other in Leighton Buzzard. The statistics are at best patchy. A.O. played 4 innings in three of the matches, scoring 75 runs with a highest score of 53. He took two wickets for 45 runs in twelve overs and held two catches. On paper, this is not stirring stuff, but the scorecard cannot reflect his fielding and it was probably for this as much as anything else that he was played. In the match at Northampton, Arthur Owen batted at number 3. He was bowled for 3 in the first innings, run out for 18 in the second and took his two wickets. The visitors won by 97 runs. His top score was made in the fixture against Oxfordshire on the Bedford Grammar School ground. He had a stand in the first innings of 55 with L.C.R.Thring, a stalwart of Bedfordshire cricket and for many years Headmaster of Dunstable Grammar School. The Bedfordshire Mercury says “both batsmen hitting freely.” The paper also states that this was the “first year proper of county cricket for Bedfordshire.” The home team won by three wickets and Mr. Thring made the winning hit. A.O. had the fortune to play in the two games which Bedfordshire won that year. Four others were lost and two were drawn. At the beginning of August, Arthur Owen turned out for the Old Modernians against the school team he had just captained with such distinction. Batting at number 4 in each innings, he made a pair and the School won by 75 runs. Although he did not succeed with the bat or as captain, he took 8 wickets in the first innings, the first five clean bowled. In the School’s second innings he took another 4 wickets and held a catch. Towards the end of August, Arthur Owen played in the match quoted at the beginning of the introduction to this book. He played for Dick Rogers’ XI against a team led by W.F.Brown who was captain of the Bedford Town Club. Opening the innings with “Cherry, the Grammar School pro” he made 9 runs and took two catches. Almost all of the match report is taken up with describing how the catch was taken to dismiss Mr. R.M.de Cotgrave in such brilliant style. Arthur Owen went up to Cambridge University in the Michaelmas term, which begins in September, and attended Jesus College. His entry qualification was that he had passed his matriculation before leaving his School. He was admitted as a “pensioner” which means he did not win a scholarship but that his tuition was paid for. The fees were paid from the interest generated by legacy in his grandfather’s will. Details of his academic achievements at Jesus are non-existent. The Jesus College Magazine, The Chanticleer , records that he played rugby for them. He played mostly as a three-quarter, although full back was his natural position. He played as a back for the University team. “His tackling and kicking were on several occasions the feature of the game.” Arthur Owen played all his first-class cricket as an amateur. Having been to University, it was unthinkable that he should play the game he loved for money. Some amateurs were indeed wealthy enough that they did not need financial support, others had to find paid employment outside sport in order to maintain their amateur status. It is probable that in the early days of his career A.O. derived sufficient support form the interest generated by his grandfather’s legacy that he could live on expenses alone. Many bachelor sportsmen were in this position. When the responsibilities of family life came along, Arthur Owen, like many others, needed to supplement his sources of income by paid employment. 1892 Arthur Owen’s season made an early start. He was selected to play for the Notts Colts against the County XI. The match was played at Trent Bridge on April 18th and 19th. It was a very cold experience as the first day’s play was halted by a snow storm. He batted at number 5 and is recorded as 8