TORQUAY IMPORT’S WORLD CUP CHANCE: GREAT SCOT!
Torquay import Jones edges closer to World Cup dream
MIKE Jones was asleep when the call came through.
But he woke to a text message that would change his cricket future.
Jones, who has produced a debut season to remember in GCA2 with 685 runs at 68.50 in just 12 matches, is packing his bags after winning a spot in Scotland’s training camp for the World Cup.
The Torquay import will fly to the United Arab Emirates tomorrow, ending his tour with the Tigers but opening the door to a professional career.
“It was lovely to wake up to that news,” Jones said of the text message from Scotland coach Grant Bradburn.
“It’s obviously a bit disheartening to be leaving the team halfway through the season, but it’s a good opportunity for me.”
Jones, an Englishman with Scottish heritage, will join with the 14-man squad in Dubai, where Scotland will take part in a warm-up tri-series against Ireland and the UAE.
“We play Ireland and the UAE twice and it will pretty much be game, training, game, training for the two weeks,” Jones said.
“So it will be pretty intense, but I’ll hit a lot of balls, which will be nice.”
The warm-up matches will lead into the World Cup qualification tournament in Zimbabwe in March, where Scotland will challenge the West Indies, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and Papua New Guinea and two other minnow nations for the final two spots in the World Cup.
Decreased to 10 teams, Australia, England, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh have already qualified for the tournament in England and Wales on May 30 to July 14 next year.
Jones admitted his call-up for the camp came as a surprise.
“I only got the call for the tour in mid-December and the tour is in January, so it was late notice but I can’t complain,” Jones said.
“I’ll just try and do my best and hope it all works out.”
After the camp, Jones will return to England where he will rejoin Durham academy side in a bid to secure a County contract.
Should he be unsuccessful, the 19-year-old will be able to return to Torquay for the finals.
But that’s highly unlikely, with the gifted strokemaker impressing in his last season in the UK.
“We’re really stoked for him,” Torquay president Steve Young said of Jones’ selection.
“We’re just rapt for him to get an opportunity. He was torn about telling us, but it’s a no-brainer.
“We’re obviously disappointed as a club to lose him, but if someone said that we’d have a player that would make 685 runs at the halfway mark of the season, we would’ve said ‘how much is it going to cost us’?”
Young admitted Jones’ departure would hurt the side, but the club has declared it will give fellow Englishman Todd Jefferson a chance at first XI cricket.
“If you take those runs out of any side it’s going to hurt you, but it is what it is,” Young said.
“He’s going to be a massive loss, no doubt, but his mate TJ has acquitted himself well in the twos, so he’ll get an opportunity.
“He bowls as well and he’s really good in the field. He’s not Mikey Jones, but he’s a good player in his own right.”