Dean Jones achieved everything he did against the odds Here's how he went from a 'skinny little runt' to one of the world's greatest One Day batsmen
His first game of cricket, he remembers, was as a 10-year-old. He got out for a third-ball duck, he recalled. “Not happy,” he said about it. “It’s only up from there!”
Get all the latest cricket news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail.Batting at seven, Jones hardly got the chance to show his wares behind a stellar batting order – until he stood up to coach Keith Stackpole.“I threatened him – I was going to go to Waverley. He said: ‘Alright, we’ll see how good you are this week.’
“I just wonder if I never questioned Stacky,” Jones pondered. What a sad hypothetical for Australian cricket.“I was 12th man six times in a row for Victoria. I’d wasted half a year again,” he said. “I marked the centre, I’d just gone through my little routine and by the time I looked up he was bowling at me! He knew I’d be nervous and he wanted to rush me. It was a bouncer. I ducked it and he just let me have it.”
It’s hard to imagine that today. But he fought his way through it, and soon he had earned his first baggy green.He said: “Once I got my chance – by the time I played my first game for Victoria in 1981, two years later I was playing for Australia.”
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Dean Jones dead, death: Allan Border tribute, cricket, Australian cricketer, heart attack, passed away, MumbaiFormer Australian cricket captain Allan Border has paid tribute to Dean Jones as “one of the greatest natural cricketers I’ve ever seen”, after the cricket great died suddenly in Mumbai at the age of 59.
Read more »
Tributes for cricket legend Dean Jones following shock death in IndiaFormer Australia cricketer Dean Jones has died of a heart attack aged 59, shocking the cricket world after a successful career as a player, coach and commentator.
Read more »
Australian cricketer Dean Jones deadFormer Australian batsman Dean Jones has died of a heart attack in Mumbai.
Read more »
Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones dies aged 59Former Australian batsman Dean Jones has died of a heart attack in India aged 59. Regarded as one of the finest batsmen of his generation, Jones was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame just last year.
Read more »
'Wonderful soul': Tributes pour in for former Australian cricketer Dean JonesThe local and international cricket community joined political leaders and sports lovers on social media to grieve Jones' death.
Read more »
Legendary cricketer Dean Jones diesBREAKING: Legendary cricketer, coach and commentator Dean Jones has tragically died suddenly aged just 59. 9News Details:
Read more »