Lives in Cricket No 4 - Ernie Jones

bowled just 17 overs in that game and ten in the following one against Essex. A spiteful wicket at Leicester saw Jones grab 6 for 26 (8 for 55 for the match) as well as lay the bowlers to waste in his season’s top score of 40 in 20 minutes. Then there were two relatively light workouts against Oxford University and MCC before the First Test. By that stage he had taken 16 wickets at 18.38. In the game at Edgbaston Jones opened the attack bowling at tremendous speed, and after MacLaren had got him away for a boundary and a single, he removed Fry for a duck from a fine touch to the wicket-keeper. The Englishmen recovered from 3 to 35 to 99 at lunch before Jones had Jackson drag the ball onto his stumps at 112. When Lilley departed at 121, half the side were out, but Tyldesley was then missed three times at 43, which allowed the batsmen to settle down and make runs steadily. Jones gained his third victim when he clean-bowled Braund at 8 for 264. Tyldesley, however, made the fielding side pay for their leniency by running to 138. England ended the day at 9 for 351 and, after heavy rain overnight, did not resume their innings until mid-afternoon, when Lockwood and Rhodes continued their partnership until MacLaren’s declaration at 376. Jones finished with the best figures for the Australians of 3 for 76. It proved to be perfect timing for the declaration, as the pitch had now started drying and was both sticky and tricky. Australia’s reply lasted just 23 overs and 85 minutes, and Trumper’s 18 accounted for half of the miserable total of 36. The ruined wicket suited Rhodes who was practically unplayable in securing 7 for 17, while Hirst took the other three wickets. The Australians were 340 in arrears and had to follow on, but Trumper and Duff had added only 8 runs when bad light ended play. Rain then fell so heavily through the night that the ground was almost under water the following morning. The turf was so sloppy that the umpires doubted whether play would be possible so that the ground authorities kept the gates closed. Gradually the crowd swelled until it was around 14,000 and began clamouring for admission. With the sun out people could not realise the ground was unfit for play and hundreds of them rushed the gates. The press of bodies was so severe that a number of men and women were knocked down, and trodden on, and a dozen were badly injured. The outcome was that at a quarter past five the Australian innings continued with Darling’s men intent on a draw. A Slow Dimming: 1900-1903 61