Lives in Cricket No 4 - Ernie Jones

Made you feel shivery, Didn’t he, Yorks, this grim Antipodean, With his sardonic, Deadly delivery— Jones the cyclonic? Jones! Flusters the batsman, and, like the tornado, Takes all the breath of ‘em! Timid onlookers exclaim, half afraid, “Oh, He’ll cause a panic, He’ll be the death of ‘em— Jones the Titanic!” Jones! Spofforth the Demon and Turner the Terror, Both are historical; Jones, though, eclipses them both, and no error! Stronger and smarter— So says each oracle; Jones is a Tartar! Jones! Well, it’s the pace that kills. True, he’s a fit ‘un. His forte’s rapidity. Be not appalled, ye big batsmen of Britain, Pluck and solidity When at the wicket, As everyone owns Frustrates his game And scores of that same Clinker at Cricket, Jones! The series was tied going to the deciding match at The Oval which was unfortunately ruined by rain, with the soft wicket producing a slow bowlers’ game. Before the match, England’s selectors were faced with the possibility of a strike by leading professionals William Gunn, Richardson, Hayward, Lohmann and Bobby Abel over a demand to double the match payments to £20 and then rumours over the withdrawal of Grace and Andrew Stoddart over expenses. In the event Richardson, Hayward and Abel retracted, but Gunn and Lohmann did not and were omitted, while Stoddart The Great Fast Bowler: 1896-1899 26