Lives in Cricket No 4 - Ernie Jones

bowled by a swerving Noble delivery for the addition of just one run before Jones had Johnny Tyldesley taken at third slip. Darling kept Jones operating for nearly two hours and the fact that he maintained his pace was striking proof of his stamina. England’s only resistance came from a stand of 95 in an hour between Jackson and Jessop but once this partnership was severed wickets fell rapidly. After Jessop was caught off Trumble, Jones came back to take the last three wickets of Jackson, Mead and Rhodes (all bowled) to close England’s innings for 206 and finish with 7 for 88 from 36.1 overs. At 3 for 59 Australia was in danger of slipping below England’s total, but partnerships of 130 between Hill and Noble, 82 between Hill and Trumper, and Trumper’s brilliant batting with the tail saw the visitors to 421 and a lead of 215. Supporters who expected an England revival in the second innings were rudely awakened when three wickets fell for 23 runs. Again it was Jones who did the damage, bowling Fry in his second over, having Ranjitsinhji caught low down at point one run later, and bowling Townsend, besides having Hayward missed by the wicket-keeper. Hayward’s life allowed him to make sizeable partnerships with Jackson and MacLaren, who dropped himself to number six in the order, but the eventual total of 240 left Australia with a ten-wicket win. Jones’ 3 for 76 in the second innings gave him match figures of 10 for 164. In the last three Tests – all drawn – Jones had less opportunity to exercise his ability. The Third Test at Headingley, the inaugural Test on the ground, saw the Australians having the worst of luck in batting first on a slow treacherous wicket and being dismissed for 172. Only Jack Worrall batted with aggressive precision and seven of the wickets fell to first-game Essex left-arm medium-pacer ‘Sailor’ Young and experienced left-arm orthodox spinner Johnny Briggs. In England’s reply of 220 Trumble and Noble opened the bowling and claimed eight wickets between them, with Jones’ removal of Willie Quaife on the second morning being his sole dismissal. Australia made a quick start to its second innings but, when the total reached 34, four wickets fell. Worrall was caught at long-off from Young’s bowling before Hearne took one of Test cricket’s great hat-tricks, his wickets being Hill, Gregory and Noble for ducks. When Darling became Young’s second wicket at 39, Australia trailed by nine runs and a home victory looked certain. The blow to England was that their only spin bowler, Briggs, suffered an epileptic seizure at the Empire Theatre on the first The Great Fast Bowler: 1896-1899 46