RIP Dean Jones
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https://wisden.com/stories/news-stories/jones-hated-boon-taylor-batting-partners-running
Why Dean Jones hated batting with David Boon and Mark Taylor
Dean Jones, the former Australia batsman, speaking on the Lessons Learnt with the Greats podcast, explained how running between the wickets has improved considerably in the modern game, owing to the likes of David Warner who give tremendous importance to fitness.
Jones, who is credited with revolutionising Australian one-day batting through the Eighties and early Nineties, explained how he found it difficult to press hard for runs in the latter half of a one-day innings, when his batting partners weren’t as eager to cross ends.
“I hated Boony…David Boon and Mark Taylor for example,” Jones said, “where they batted deep, and I ran their twos and they didn’t run mine. You need to be fit in this level. It’s not hard to get off your backside, stop having the cokes, stop having a couple of beers, to get yourself fit to win a World Cup. So, they got the batting skills and all that, but it really upset me in my time, because I am trying to go hard, hard, hard now I’m in the power [mode] last ten overs, I’m buzz, buzz, buzz…”
In the modern era where skin folds and time trials act as few of the several parameters to judge a player’s fitness, Jones said that batting skills still hold higher precedence, remarking that “just because a guy is big, doesn’t mean he can’t rip a team apart.” However, he said that running between the wickets has ascended to an amazing level in the current generation, citing Warner an example of an aggressive batsman who puts just as much effort on his big-hitting, as he does for his running between wickets.
“Now it’s got to an amazing level,” Jones said, “particularly with Warner, his fitness skills are ridiculous and still has the power to hit him big. After a while in T20 matches, you are batting 15 overs and you are still swinging… you are fatigued trying to swing hard. And he’s still got it and he’s still pushing guys for two. And that’s the level we got to get to.
“You know what? I hate mediocrity. That’s not mediocrity what he’s doing. And it’s just great to watch and if he has to embarrass a few, well, so be it. Because that’s the level we expect as fans to watch, to take the skills to another level.”
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@NTA said in RIP Dean Jones:
https://wisden.com/stories/news-stories/jones-hated-boon-taylor-batting-partners-running
Why Dean Jones hated batting with David Boon and Mark Taylor
Dean Jones, the former Australia batsman, speaking on the Lessons Learnt with the Greats podcast, explained how running between the wickets has improved considerably in the modern game, owing to the likes of David Warner who give tremendous importance to fitness.
Jones, who is credited with revolutionising Australian one-day batting through the Eighties and early Nineties, explained how he found it difficult to press hard for runs in the latter half of a one-day innings, when his batting partners weren’t as eager to cross ends.
“I hated Boony…David Boon and Mark Taylor for example,” Jones said, “where they batted deep, and I ran their twos and they didn’t run mine. You need to be fit in this level. It’s not hard to get off your backside, stop having the cokes, stop having a couple of beers, to get yourself fit to win a World Cup. So, they got the batting skills and all that, but it really upset me in my time, because I am trying to go hard, hard, hard now I’m in the power [mode] last ten overs, I’m buzz, buzz, buzz…”
In the modern era where skin folds and time trials act as few of the several parameters to judge a player’s fitness, Jones said that batting skills still hold higher precedence, remarking that “just because a guy is big, doesn’t mean he can’t rip a team apart.” However, he said that running between the wickets has ascended to an amazing level in the current generation, citing Warner an example of an aggressive batsman who puts just as much effort on his big-hitting, as he does for his running between wickets.
“Now it’s got to an amazing level,” Jones said, “particularly with Warner, his fitness skills are ridiculous and still has the power to hit him big. After a while in T20 matches, you are batting 15 overs and you are still swinging… you are fatigued trying to swing hard. And he’s still got it and he’s still pushing guys for two. And that’s the level we got to get to.
“You know what? I hate mediocrity. That’s not mediocrity what he’s doing. And it’s just great to watch and if he has to embarrass a few, well, so be it. Because that’s the level we expect as fans to watch, to take the skills to another level.”
Shit imagine if he had to bat with Inzy or Ranatunga ?
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This is the sort of news Victorians don't need right now.
Dean Jones will go down in history as a person who revolutionised the game. Tremendous to watch him bat. Always felt like if he got a start, Australia were going to win.
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@Donsteppa said in RIP Dean Jones:
Horrendous news. I remember him as a great (annoyingly good) stealer of singles and an elegant shot maker.
This memory popped up on Cricket.com.au on Monday and was a good laugh about his run in with Curtly Ambrose: https://www.facebook.com/85633169312/posts/10158732127854313/
I remember watching that live. I notice Ambrose had his white wristband on again later in the innings.
RIP Jones.
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unlike most kiwis I loved Dean Jones. I loved what he did for cricket. He was exciting and fucking talented.
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@mariner4life said in RIP Dean Jones:
unlike most kiwis I loved Dean Jones. I loved what he did for cricket. He was exciting and fucking talented.
He was consulting for the Black Caps during some of the purple patch between 01-04 and was really well regarded. If you had to have an Aussie influence on the side he would be one of the better ones for sure.
Always enjoyed his humour and enthusiasm. Tied test innings is the stuff of legends.
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@MN5 said in RIP Dean Jones:
@Snowy said in RIP Dean Jones:
I couldn't stand him - only because he was good - and didn't play for us.
I think you could say that about any number of Aussie players to be fair
This is true for most, but I liked Dean Jones. Maybe because he was Victorian and as I grew up I would watch SS with the old man. Jones was a competitor that in my opinion didn’t come across as arrogant like some of the other players.
I couldn’t stand Merv Hughes though and him and Jones were best mates until they had a massive falling out. That friendship never really recovered.
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@shark said in RIP Dean Jones:
Jones was pretty much done by the time I started following cricket around 1991/92, but I was certainly aware of his stature in the game. As others have said, he helped revolutionize the ODI format, but he also played some notable test innings.
Yeah good point. Sure, 10 years later Oz had class batsmen coming out of their ears but I note he finished test cricket in 1992. Surely he had years left in him ?
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@rotated said in RIP Dean Jones:
@mariner4life said in RIP Dean Jones:
unlike most kiwis I loved Dean Jones. I loved what he did for cricket. He was exciting and fucking talented.
He was consulting for the Black Caps during some of the purple patch between 01-04 and was really well regarded. If you had to have an Aussie influence on the side he would be one of the better ones for sure.
Always enjoyed his humour and enthusiasm. Tied test innings is the stuff of legends.
Interestingly I would be curious to see how many kiwis would hate Dean Jones. Sure, there were a few aussie traits that would annoy some, but he was never really in the most hated column unlike some of his colleagues (I would have thought). Annoyingly enthusiastic which is an amazingly positive trait, helped NZ cricket as you mention and was a funny guy.
Sad loss for cricket community
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@MN5 said in RIP Dean Jones:
@shark said in RIP Dean Jones:
Jones was pretty much done by the time I started following cricket around 1991/92, but I was certainly aware of his stature in the game. As others have said, he helped revolutionize the ODI format, but he also played some notable test innings.
Yeah good point. Sure, 10 years later Oz had class batsmen coming out of their ears but I note he finished test cricket in 1992. Surely he had years left in him ?
Just had a look at the end of his test career and his dropping was slightly odd timing.
He had a definite lean patch, starting with a 1990 test against us and ending with a 150* vs India. Averaged 26 over quite a few test innings.
They then took him to Sri Lanka and he was like a pig in shit - his last 7 test innings he averaged 85 (including that 150*). And then they dropped him.
I guess they thought he wasn't the man for a West Indies series - and they replaced him with Damien Martyn or Steve Waugh.
