Lives in Cricket No 4 - Ernie Jones

Australian team-mates also received a small package each from Creswell, which on opening, turned out to be a horseshoe for good luck. The players must have been glad when, eventually, they hit the high seas. 1896: Australians in England Jones’ first game outside Australia was a long way short of England. It took place when the Cuzco docked in Colombo on 2 April and the Australian eleven took on a Ceylon Eighteen in a one-day game. The local team made a good start but Jones was held back in the attack. When finally released, he took 5 for 22 as the eighteen were bundled out for 97 to which the visitors responded with 8 for 179. Otherwise the cricketers were restricted to deck sports and Jones’ successes to victories in the long jump, shot put and in combination with Hill in a three-legged race. Perhaps Jones used up too much energy on deck because, when the team arrived at Tilbury on 26 April, he was among the reported casualties. Graham was suffering from rheumatism, Trumble had a cold, and Jones had slipped and injured his arm. Fortunately it was not his bowling arm. The Australians had a leisurely settling-in period with, apart from practice, dinners given for the team by the Surrey County Club and the Sports and Athletics Club. The first first-class match began on 11 May against Lord Sheffield’s Eleven at Sheffield Park in Sussex in the presence of the Prince of Wales (later to become King Edward VII). The Prince, as the Earl of Sheffield’s special guest, was invited to lunch with the Australian captain, Harry Trott, and W.G.Grace, the captain of Sheffield’s team. Whether the people came to see the royal personage or the Australians is open to question but admission was free and 15,000 attended. It may be admitted that Grace was fortunate Australia batted the first day. The fiery reception he received on the second morning would probably have upset his lunch. It marked the moment when Jones was reported by Stanley Jackson to have bowled a ball through Grace’s beard. When Grace queried what he was up to he replied, ‘Sorry, doctor, she slipped’. Reports vary but one has Jones hitting Grace in the ribs with three balls in his first over. What has passed down into history is that Jones bowled the ball through W.G.’s beard but perhaps he threw it. There is no mention of a throw in The Times’ match report, but The Great Fast Bowler: 1896-1899 21