Dean Jones 1961–2020

September 24, 2020 5:22 PM

'To stand on the southern side of the MCG when [Dean] Jones strutted to the crease during a day-night game was to understand Hemingway's endless platitudes for bullfighters'.
posted by Fiasco da Gama (12 comments total)

Moments after hoicking poor Martin Bicknell for an absurd, one-handed six over fine leg, Jones threw every ounce of his weight into a lofted, straight drive towards the commentary box containing Richie Benaud and Geoffrey Boycott. Purring with delight, Benaud issued one of his classic lines: "Just reach out and catch it, Geoffrey."

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posted by the duck by the oboe at 5:56 PM on September 24, 2020 [2 favorites]

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posted by Wordshore at 6:53 PM on September 24, 2020

A great entertainer.
posted by jjderooy at 6:56 PM on September 24, 2020

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posted by dangerousdan at 8:00 PM on September 24, 2020

The passage I quoted earlier prompted me to look for footage of these shots and here it is. Extraordinary.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 8:26 PM on September 24, 2020 [2 favorites]

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posted by asra at 8:29 PM on September 24, 2020

Gets out to a rank full toss in that innings too.

I loved watching him play - he was the first batsman that understood that you could put pressure on the fielding by running hard every run. He changed the game.
posted by awfurby at 8:39 PM on September 24, 2020

Apparently Steve Waugh used to make sure he sat in the same place in the dressing room in Madras that Dean did.
posted by awfurby at 1:00 AM on September 25, 2020

I thought he was already dead, then I realized it was a different Dean Jones.
posted by Badgermann at 6:00 AM on September 25, 2020 [4 favorites]

6

(No dots ever for that man.)

He was thrilling and exasperating. I loved watching him play.
posted by firstdrop at 6:40 AM on September 25, 2020 [2 favorites]

One of the first to actually change his game for the one-day variety. Viv was the same in Tests and One-Day's; so he didn't have to really change his approach. Deano OTOH, wowza.

Plus what's amazing is the most memorable of his innings is his gutsy, balls-out performance in the Chennai Tied Test. Dude got saline drip, and was back playing the next day.

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Plus I feel bad for Brett Lee who it seems administered CPR when Deano collapsed.
posted by indianbadger1 at 8:15 AM on September 25, 2020 [3 favorites]

Greg Matthews wore a long sleeve sweater in the second innings. Nuts. Fabulous.
posted by firstdrop at 8:31 AM on September 25, 2020