Lives in Cricket No 4 - Ernie Jones

Jones received a letter from her husband stating that he had signed articles of agreement with Sussex for a five-year contract at £1 a day, a more attractive proposition than the £200 guarantee he had from the SACA. Under the agreement Jones would complete his tour, and return to Adelaide to collect his wife, before returning to Brighton to take up residence. Once again the onus was on the SACA to telegram Jones to counter any English proposal. Undoubtedly they would make an effort to induce him to play at least half the year in Adelaide and the other half in England. Money would be more of an issue since the Jones family had another mouth to feed with second son, William Clement (probably named after Clem Hill), being born in August. Oddly, in view of his positive comments Trott was still to show confidence in Jones at the bowling crease in the big games. Australia batted well to reach 412 in its first innings at Old Trafford and then put England out for 231 and 305, before stumbling to achieve the victory target of 125 with just three wickets in hand. England was held together by the superlative debut by Ranjitsinhji who made 62 and 154 not out; however, Jones bowled just 22 overs in the game for figures of 2 for 89. The contrast with Grace’s employment of Richardson was marked as the English fast bowler delivered 110.3 overs (five times as many) from which he took a phenomenal 13 for 244. Jones’ ability was certainly appreciated in the north of England where in six matches against Yorkshire (three games), Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and a representative combined side, he had taken 37 wickets at 12.24. Indeed, so much so that the following verse, of doubtful quality, appeared at this time in a regional newspaper: THE ONLY JONES Jones! ‘Tisn’t a very uncommon name, is it? But he’s an uncommon ‘un! Snakes and greased lightning! But doesn’t he whiz it Into the wicket— Jones the phenomenon, Clinker at Cricket! Jones! Muscles of iron and frame Herculean. The Great Fast Bowler: 1896-1899 25