Famous Cricketers No 63 - A.O.Jones

189. Rest of England v Yorkshire, Lord’s, September 12, 13, 14 (Rest of England won by an innings and 115 runs) c J.Tunnicliffe b E.Smith 65 526 6 1 29 2 J.Tunnicliffe b 229 J.T.Brown st R.B.Brooks - - - - 182 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Gentlemen v Players 3 6 0 201 105 33.50 1 1 3 1 County Championship 19 35 2 1718 249 52.06 3 10 23 - London County 2 3 0 35 16 11.66 - - 1 - Other matches 5 7 0 338 146 48.28 1 2 4 - Season 29 51 2 2292 249 46.77 5 13 31 1 Career 189 319 17 8890 250 29.43 13 44 192 1 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Gentlemen v Players 31 3 130 2 2-34 65.00 - - County Championship 356.2 62 1176 45 6-26 26.13 3 1 London County 34.3 6 106 6 3-54 17.66 - - Other matches 25 4 135 3 2-29 45.00 - - Season (6-b) 446.5 75 1547 56 6-26 27.62 3 1 Career (6-b) 653.5 103 } 6974 225 6-26 30.99 7 1 (5-b) 1440.3 244 1901/02 – A.C.MacLaren’s Team in Australia Arthur Owen made two tours of Australia and neither of them did him much good or brought him any real success. The party sailed from Tilbury aboard the SS Omrah on 27th September. Australia had won back the Ashes during the previous England tour of 1897/8 by four matches to one. They were to retain the Ashes during this tour by a similar margin. Archie MacLaren’s side could not be described as representing English cricket at its best. Business commitments prevented the amateurs J.R.Mason and R.E.Foster from accepting their invitations. George Hirst and Wilfred Rhodes also refused because the Yorkshire committee expressed the opinion that its star bowlers should have a rest after their arduous season so that they could be fit and refreshed for the next. MacLaren took the relatively unknown S.F.Barnes. This bowler had great success in the initial matches but had to withdraw due to knee problems. John Gunn was also on the tour but failed to do himself justice. The eleven first-class matches were played on just three grounds. Arthur Owen found himself batting mostly in the bottom half of the order, “being out again and again for trivial scores in the big matches.” For someone who had become accustomed to opening the batting and to leading from the front, it must have been both a disappointment and a frustration. He had little success with his bowling, but “Braund, MacLaren and A.O.Jones in the slips formed an unsurpassable combination.” Archie MacLaren stood down from the second match of the tour and A.O. was captain of the side that beat Victoria. Barnes took 12 wickets for 99 runs. The next match brought Arthur Owen his highest score of the tour, during which he shared in a stand of 66 with his captain. He did not share in another stand of 50 or more before returning home. England made a glorious but unexpected start to the Ashes campaign by winning the first Test in grand style. MacLaren led from the front and Arthur Owen must have counted himself unlucky to be dismissed so cheaply on a reasonably good wicket. S.F.Barnes, Len Braund and Colin Blythe bowled well and victory was achieved. A.E.Stoddart’s team had won their first Test on the previous tour and yet lost the series. The pundits forecast a similar result this time, and for once they were correct. 36