Lives in Cricket No 4 - Ernie Jones

Chapter Two Star Ascending: 1892-1895 Jones made his first-class debut at Adelaide Oval on 16 December, 1892 after only three games of senior club cricket in the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) competition. Representing South Adelaide, he took 6 for 32 on debut against the powerful Norwood club, including the wickets of three first-class players – John McKenzie, Walter Giffen and Charles Hayward – in one over. In this innings, only Test star George Giffen offered resistance to him. On this performance one reporter reserved his judgment by stating that ‘it remains to be seen whether he will be proportionally successful on the hard and dry wickets we usually have’. At the same time the same writer hoped that, if successful, Jones would be a great acquisition to the ranks of the intercolonial players. He then captured 6 for 59 and 3 for 49 in his next two club matches, as well as making scores of 39 and 59 not out to underline his ability. Nevertheless, Jones’ intercolonial selection must have been seen as experimental, for although his pace was terrific, his control was negligible. Opposed to experienced batsmen on a good pitch, it might have been expected that he would receive a hiding. As it turned out Jones picked an auspicious occasion, as the South Australian–New South Wales match at Adelaide Oval was the first-ever Sheffield Shield match, and his figures of 2 for 93 and 3 for 49 caused the South Australian Register journalist Clarence Moody to comment that he ‘bowled capitally in the second innings’, while advising him to get stouter boots to prevent his left foot slipping in his delivery stride. Someone else who took heed of advice was South Australian wicket-keeper ‘Affie’ Jarvis who stood over the stumps to Jones in this game and actually stumped New South Wales opening batsman Sammy Jones off him in the second innings. Jarvis stood back thereafter. Jones captured his first five-wicket haul, 5 for 60, in his next match against Victoria in Melbourne, and then 6 for 53 in his last match against Western Australia. In the Victorian game South Australia 10