Jones given England cap 50 years after appearance

On the 50th anniversary of his solitary England appearance, former Glamorgan batsman Alan Jones has finally been reinstated as a Test cricketer.

Jones played the first match of England’s 1970 series against a Rest of the World XI, games which originally carried Test status only to be subsequently downgraded by the International Cricket Council in 1972.

After being dismissed for nought and five by the great Mike Procter, Jones was never called on again, meaning he spent 48 years stripped of his achievement.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has now taken a unilateral decision to right that wrong, formally inducting the 81-year-old as cap number 696. Ongoing lockdown restrictions meant his cap presentation was conducted via video link, but he still attracted warm tributes from England captain Joe Root, ECB chairman Colin Graves and his long-time friend and team-mate Tony Lewis.

Trying on his newly awarded cap, Jones said: “It fits. I’m just waiting for the helmet now!

“To represent England in a Test match at Lord’s was something very special in my career and I have fond memories.

“Whenever you play international cricket you’re proud of wearing the Three Lions of England. When they disregarded that full England cap it did make a difference... you didn’t feel like you were a fully England player.

“I had the cap, the blazer, the sweaters, the ties but then they took away the Test match series and I wasn’t able to wear them. To win an England cap and have it taken away some years later was a huge disappointment.”

Jones’ first-class run tally of 36,049 is the highest of any player not to feature in an Icc-sanctioned Test, and he admits he felt stung to be discarded after a solitary appearance.

“If you’re good enough to be selected for England in the first place then I think that person deserves one or two chances,” he added.