Geraint Jones

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	Tests	ODIs
Geraint Jones England (Eng)

Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling type	-
Matches	34	49
Runs scored	1172	815
Batting average	23.91	24.69
100s/50s	1/6	-/4
Top score	100	80
Balls bowled	-	-
Wickets	-	-
Bowling average	-	-
5 wickets in innings	-	-
10 wickets in match	-	n/a
Best bowling	-	-
Catches/stumpings	128/5	68/4
As of 19 December 2006 Source: Cricinfo.com

Geraint Owen Jones MBE (born 14 July 1976, Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea) is a member of the England cricket team. Until August 2006 he was the first-choice wicketkeeper for England in both Test and One-day cricket, but is now behind Chris Read. He plays county cricket for Kent.

Jones moved to Australia with his parents, who were originally from Wales, soon after he was born. He grew up in Toowoomba, Queensland and lived in Australia until he was 22.

He replaced Chris Read as England wicketkeeper during the 2004 tour of the West Indies. Later that year, he hit a fine Test match century against New Zealand, cracking fifteen fours and one six.

In the 2004/5 Winter tour of South Africa he took part in all of England's Test and One-day matches. Notably he scored a quick fire 73 in the drawn Test match at Durban and impressively stumped Andrew Hall from the last delivery of the tied One-day match in Bloemfontein. In 2005 he held five catches and scored 71 in a defiant partnership with Paul Collingwood to conjure a tie from the depths of 33/5 in the final of the NatWest Series against Australia at Lord's.

A fine moment in his Test Career was catching Michael Kasprowicz off the bowling of Steve Harmison to win the Edgbaston Test in the 2005 Ashes Series by just 2 runs. He also played a key role at Trent Bridge where he supported Andrew Flintoff to help him reach his 100 whilst making a tidy 85 himself

In the 2006 New Year's Honours List, Jones was awarded the MBE for his role in the successful Ashes series.

Jones practices at the Adelaide Oval

A succession of missed catches and stumpings during his England career have caused many commentators to question whether his value to the team as a batsman is sufficient for him to hold his place against competition from potentially more accomplished wicket-keepers such as Read and James Foster. Until mid-2006 the England selectors maintained faith in Jones [1] as he has offset his mistakes with several well-timed performances with the bat and occasional brilliance behind the stumps. By the 2006 home series against Pakistan, Jones' keeping ability was much improved. He was however enduring a dismal run of form with the bat and was dropped in favour of Chris Read for the third Test. Despite this coinciding with Jones suffering a broken finger, it was stressed by David Graveney, the Chairman of Selectors, that Jones was dropped due to his form with the bat. Ironically, Jones initially gained his place in the England side because he was perceived to be a better batsman than Read.

Jones was not awarded a 12 month central contract for 2007, although neither was his rival for the England wicket keeper place, Chris Read. Both Jones and Read were selected for the 2006-07 Ashes series, and Read was dropped before the first test in favour of Jones, due to Jones being perceived as a stronger batsman^[1]. Even though Jones's batting has suffered through his career as an English Wicketkeeper, his batting average has improved whilst he has been in rehab for his batting at his county of Kent.

After a dreadful showing in the 2006-07 Ashes series, including a pair in the 3rd test at Perth where his second innings dismissal was an embarrassing run out by Ricky Ponting while waiting on an lbw call, many commentators are speculating that Jones' international cricket career may be all but over. Jones' omission from the one-day squad to play Australia and New Zealand seems to have confirmed this speculation.

[edit] External link

Player Profile: Geraint Jones from Cricinfo Jones now finds himself even further down the pecking order as 36 year old debutant Paul Nixon took the gloves in the first Twenty20 international, in which England were once more soundly beaten by Australia.