Adrian Jones (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Adrian Nicholas Jones is a former cricket
er who played first-class
and List A cricket for Sussex
and Somerset
in the English game from 1981 to 1993 and for Border cricket team
in South Africa
in 1981/82. He was born at Woking
, Surrey
and educated at Seaford College
in Sussex
.
Jones was a pugnacious right-arm fast-medium bowler and a tail-end left-handed batsman.
, Trevor Chappell
and Kim Hughes
in a return of four for 68 against the Australians
. On the strength of that performance he was brought into the England Youth team less than two weeks later to play in the third Youth "Test" against the Indian Youth team. In the winter of 1981-82, Jones was in South Africa where he made two appearances for the weak Boland team in matches in the SAB Bowl competition, both of which were lost by an innings. There were few first-class games and few wickets for Jones in the 1982 and 1983 seasons, and he played in only one List A match in each of the two seasons (and was not used as a bowler in his one one-day match in 1982).
But in the second half of the 1984 season, he began playing fairly regularly for the Sussex first team, and against Gloucestershire
he took five second innings wickets for 29 runs: this would prove to be his best bowling performance for Sussex. In both 1985 and 1986, Jones played in around half of Sussex's first-class matches, but in a county which boasted Test
players Imran Khan
and Tony Pigott
, as well as Garth Le Roux
among its bowlers, his place was never assured, and he was injured for part of the 1986 season. He was a more regular player in 1986 in List A limited overs matches, and in the game against Nottinghamshire
in May 1986 in the 40-over Sunday League
competition, he took seven for 41 (out of eight Notts wickets that fell). These were not only the best List A figures of Jones's career, but they remain as of 2010 the best figures in a List A by a Sussex cricketer. Despite being awarded his Sussex county cap in 1986, he left the county at the end of the season and joined Somerset for 1987.
and Joel Garner
had been terminated and Ian Botham
had resigned. He immediately got a regular place in the first team and remained there for the next four seasons. In 1987, he was awarded his county cap and took 63 first-class wickets at an average of 28.57. His best return was a new career-best: seven for 85 in the match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge
when, with three second innings wickets, he also took 10 wickets in a match for the only time in his career.
Jones's record for Somerset over the next two seasons was consistent: 55 first-class wickets in 1988 and 71 in 1989, his highest aggregate. In 1988, in the match against Hampshire
he toom the first seven first-innings wickets in 12 overs at a personal cost of 18 runs, and his eventual figures of seven for 30 would be the best of his first-class career. In 1989, with other Somerset bowlers injured, Eric Hill
's notes for Wisden recorded Jones "playing in every match in spite of some injuries and occasional trouble with some authorities for his huge enthusiasm to get rid of batsmen". In all matches in 1989, he took 116 wickets. A hot summer and four-day cricket in 1990 contributed to Jones's average climbing to more than 36 runs per wicket, but he took more than 50 wickets again in first-class cricket. But at the end of the 1990 season he turned down a further contract from Somerset and moved back to Sussex for 1991.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
and List A cricket for Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
and Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
in the English game from 1981 to 1993 and for Border cricket team
Border cricket team
Border cricket team is the team representing the Border province in domestic first-class cricket in South Africa. The team began playing in March 1898....
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1981/82. He was born at Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and educated at Seaford College
Seaford College
Seaford College is an independent co-educational boarding and day-school located at East Lavington, south of Petworth, West Sussex, England. The College was founded in 1884, and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The college sits in the Lavington Park, in nearly in an...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
.
Jones was a pugnacious right-arm fast-medium bowler and a tail-end left-handed batsman.
Sussex cricketer
Jones made his Sussex debut in 1981 and in his fourth first-class match took the wickets of Graeme WoodGraeme Wood
Graeme Malcolm Wood is a former Australian cricketer who played in 59 Tests and 83 ODIs from 1978 to 1989. He scored nine Test centuries in his career and it was a West Australian record until 2001-02 when it was passed by Justin Langer....
, Trevor Chappell
Trevor Chappell
Trevor Martin Chappell is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket...
and Kim Hughes
Kim Hughes
Kimberley John Hughes is a former cricketer who played for Western Australia, Natal and Australia. He captained Australia in 28 Tests between 1979 and 1984 before captaining a "rebel" Australian team in a tour of South Africa, who at the time were subject to a sporting boycott.A right-handed...
in a return of four for 68 against the Australians
Australian cricket team in England in 1981
The tour by the Australian cricket team in England in 1981 included the 51st Ashes series of Test matches between Australia and England. Despite having been 1–0 down after two Tests, England won the next three Tests to finish 3–1 victors , thus retaining the Ashes...
. On the strength of that performance he was brought into the England Youth team less than two weeks later to play in the third Youth "Test" against the Indian Youth team. In the winter of 1981-82, Jones was in South Africa where he made two appearances for the weak Boland team in matches in the SAB Bowl competition, both of which were lost by an innings. There were few first-class games and few wickets for Jones in the 1982 and 1983 seasons, and he played in only one List A match in each of the two seasons (and was not used as a bowler in his one one-day match in 1982).
But in the second half of the 1984 season, he began playing fairly regularly for the Sussex first team, and against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
he took five second innings wickets for 29 runs: this would prove to be his best bowling performance for Sussex. In both 1985 and 1986, Jones played in around half of Sussex's first-class matches, but in a county which boasted Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
players Imran Khan
Imran Khan
Imran Khan Niazi is a Pakistani politician and former Pakistani cricketer, playing international cricket for two decades in the late twentieth century. After retiring, he entered politics...
and Tony Pigott
Tony Pigott
Tony Pigott is a former English cricketer, who played in one Test for England in 1984, when he was called up as an emergency replacement in New Zealand...
, as well as Garth Le Roux
Garth Le Roux
Garth Stirling Le Roux in Kenilworth, Cape Town is a former South African first class cricketer. He went to Wynberg Boys High School, graduating in 1973....
among its bowlers, his place was never assured, and he was injured for part of the 1986 season. He was a more regular player in 1986 in List A limited overs matches, and in the game against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
in May 1986 in the 40-over Sunday League
Sunday League
Sunday League may refer to:*Sunday league football, amateur football played on Sundays in the United Kingdom.*The Sunday League, the precursor tournament to the National League in English cricket....
competition, he took seven for 41 (out of eight Notts wickets that fell). These were not only the best List A figures of Jones's career, but they remain as of 2010 the best figures in a List A by a Sussex cricketer. Despite being awarded his Sussex county cap in 1986, he left the county at the end of the season and joined Somerset for 1987.
Somerset player
Jones joined the Somerset side at a point of maximum turmoil when the contracts of overseas players Viv RichardsViv Richards
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KNH, OBE is a former West Indian cricketer. Better known by his second name, Vivian or, more popularly, simply as Viv or King Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald...
and Joel Garner
Joel Garner
Joel Garner , also known as "Big Joel" or "Big Bird", is a former West Indian cricketer, and a member of the highly regarded late 1970s and early '80s West Indies cricket teams....
had been terminated and Ian Botham
Ian Botham
Sir Ian Terence Botham OBE is a former England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator. He was a genuine all-rounder with 14 centuries and 383 wickets in Test cricket, and remains well-known by his nickname "Beefy"...
had resigned. He immediately got a regular place in the first team and remained there for the next four seasons. In 1987, he was awarded his county cap and took 63 first-class wickets at an average of 28.57. His best return was a new career-best: seven for 85 in the match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
when, with three second innings wickets, he also took 10 wickets in a match for the only time in his career.
Jones's record for Somerset over the next two seasons was consistent: 55 first-class wickets in 1988 and 71 in 1989, his highest aggregate. In 1988, in the match against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
he toom the first seven first-innings wickets in 12 overs at a personal cost of 18 runs, and his eventual figures of seven for 30 would be the best of his first-class career. In 1989, with other Somerset bowlers injured, Eric Hill
Eric Hill
Eric Gordon Hill OBE is a popular author and illustrator of children's picture books, best known for his character Spot the Dog...
's notes for Wisden recorded Jones "playing in every match in spite of some injuries and occasional trouble with some authorities for his huge enthusiasm to get rid of batsmen". In all matches in 1989, he took 116 wickets. A hot summer and four-day cricket in 1990 contributed to Jones's average climbing to more than 36 runs per wicket, but he took more than 50 wickets again in first-class cricket. But at the end of the 1990 season he turned down a further contract from Somerset and moved back to Sussex for 1991.