Famous Cricketers No 63 - A.O.Jones

Jones and Iremonger took 45 minutes to put on 73 for the first wicket in the match at Lord’s against MCC. Arthur Owen, forcing the pace, was stumped before he reached 50. His partner, playing more steadily, went on to make the only century of the match. Wass and Hallam bowled so well that MCC were required to follow on. Tom Wass took 12 wickets in the match. Nottinghamshire won a very close match against Kent at Gravesend, in two days. The wicket was very helpful to the bowlers and Wass again took 12 wickets in the match. Arthur Owen came near to being dismissed for a pair, he was out for 0 in the first innings and for 1 in the second. It was only thanks to John Gunn that Nottinghamshire got within reach of the Kent first innings total. When Kent batted a second time, the highest score was 25. The visitors required 123 to win and were, at one time, 103 for 7. George Anthony and Tom Oates hit out to make the winning runs. In the home match against Surrey, the Notts players gave a wonderful display of fielding. Arthur Owen took four of the nine catches in the first innings. Surrey were dismissed for a low total, despite Wass being absent with lumbago. Nottinghamshire batted well, Jones and John Gunn making over 50 runs each. Arthur Owen gave a wonderful exhibition of cutting, driving and glancing. The fielding was equally good when Surrey batted again. Tom Hayward, who scored eleven centuries during the season, made a faultless 116 out of 182 and the home team were left with 19 runs to win. The home win over Sussex was a good example of how Nottinghamshire could play as a team. Jones and Iremonger put on 173 in two hours. Jones mostly employed the cut and the leg glance. John Gunn scored 85 runs in the match and took 11 wickets. Wass, Hallam and Anthony bowled economically and most of the batsmen made some runs. The fielding and catching were of a high standard. Arthur Owen declared the second innings closed at the right time. Oates had kept wicket in the first innings but damaged his right hand on the last day and A.O. took his place. The last three Sussex wickets fell to the Jones-Gunn combination in 12 balls for no runs. W.Newman was caught behind and this was followed by a maiden over from Gunn. Seymour was cleverly stumped off the second ball of the next Gunn over and Seal was caught off the next ball to bring the match to a swift end. Seymour’s wicket was Jones’ only Championship stumping. In the home match with Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire might have won, should have secured a draw but eventually lost. Arthur Owen batted dashingly and defiantly, while wickets fell at the other end. He was nearly run out when on 13. He was stranded half way down the wicket with William Gunn not having left his crease at the non-striker’s end. William Ringrose mis-fielded the ball at short leg and Jones was able to get back in time. Apart from this lapse, he hit out in brilliant style, all around the wicket. He and J.A.Dixon then put on 151 for the fifth wicket. Mr Dixon was back to his old form and made 135. Hardstaff was next highest scorer with 35. When Yorkshire batted, catches were dropped, Tunnicliffe made a century and Denton and Hirst both scored over 50. Nottinghamshire should have drawn the match on the last day, but Wilfred Rhodes took 4 wickets for 12 runs in less than 14 overs and was ably supported by George Hirst and Schofield Haigh. Arthur Owen scored his next century in the second innings of the away match with Derbyshire. In the first innings, he went down the wicket to ‘garden’ without first having grounded his bat and was rightly given out. James Iremonger made a superb 142 and scored nearly half his side’s runs, six batsmen being dismissed while still in single figures. By the close of play on the first day, the home team were 78 for 5 and from then on, never looked likely to win. Jones made amends in the second innings, batting faultlessly. He enjoyed a first-wicket stand of 116 with Iremonger, followed by one of 90 with John Gunn. Jones was finally out, caught at backward point while attempting a drive. Derbyshire were set 363 to win. John Gunn performed the hat-trick to reduce Derbyshire to 15 runs for 7 wickets by the end of the second day’s play. Early on the next day, they were all out for 32, no one making double figures. Jones and Iremonger made 169 together at the beginning of a high scoring draw with Lancashire. Arthur Owen batted in grand style, acquiring runs at a brisk rate. His partner played the anchor role so that Notts were 363 for 3 at the end of the first day. J.T.Tyldesley and A.C.MacLaren put on 324 for the fourth wicket. This was a record stand for any wicket against Nottinghamshire and remained the fourth wicket record for 42 years. To keep down the runs on the Saturday, Jones put all his fielders on 45