Lives in Cricket No 4 - Ernie Jones

Fremantle where he worked as a clerk and was subsequently employed as a postman in Adelaide. His premature death was attributed to the effects of the wartime poisoning. Jones continued playing minor club cricket in Adelaide, including one fantastic game for Queenstown Church of Christ, aged 54, when he took 5 for 10 and 3 for 28 and made 116 out of 123 scored by his side in 35 minutes with 11 sixes and 11 fours. In 1926 Jones was promoted to ‘Senior Searcher and Watchman’, before retiring in 1932. Unfortunately, Jones’ retirement pension of 32 shillings a week was meagre. Life was hard when attempting to support a sick wife and paying rent of 11 shillings per week on a worker’s cottage at 35 Carrington Street in the city. In February 1933, the SACA played Good Samaritan and supplemented Jones’ pension by £1 per week, as well as arranging for a testimonial match later in the year and an appeal fund. Those who served on the Ernest Jones Testimonial Committee were mainly cricket figures. President was SACA president Bernard Scrymgour; chairman was Harry Hodgetts, SACA delegate to the Australian Board of Control; secretary was former state player Life and Work: 1912-1943 78 Fremantle Harbour. Jones, front row right, did the heavy work in the Customs Department rummage team, searching ships.