Jones book tour snubbed by fans
FORMER Ashes hero Simon Jones, the last Glamorgan player to represent England, has discovered sporting fame doesn’t last long.
Jones had been booked at the Nottingham Playhouse last night for a Q&A theatre show to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the epic 2005 series and promoting his new book: The Test: My Life and Inside Story of the Greatest Ashes Series. But the event was cancelled at the last minute due to a lack of interest, poor ticket sales making it financially unviable.
Instead Jones was back at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff for the opening day of the Ashes series signing copies of his book. Glamorgan had made sure they had read Jones’ ‘measured criticisms’ of the county over previous contract negotiations before allowing the book to be sold. Jones, who still plays club cricket, is having a benefit year but with no county affiliation or involvement.
THE ECB have acknowledged the part played by Brendon McCullum’s New Zealand cricket team in helping to re-energise public interest in the game with their enterprising attacking approach. The ECB have written to both New Zealand cricket and McCullum (right) thanking them for the way in which they conducted themselves throughout the entertaining Test and one-day series. TAINTED cricket tycoon Lalit Modi, mired in corruption allegations since founding the Indian Premier League, has been banned from using a luxury hotel group. Aman Resorts have sent letters to general managers of 26 hotels in 18 countries informing them Modi will no longer be permitted to visit their hotel properties — despite him being named as a member of the Aman advisory group a year ago. Aman has been the subject of a Russian-American ownership battle and a resort spokeswoman said there were objections to Modi claiming he’s involved in the business. Modi was unavailable for comment.
SKY SPORTS are expected to retain rights to Spain’s La Liga having made a much bigger bid than arch rivals BT Sport, whose war chest has been diluted by the network’s plan to build an entertainment channel to take on Sky One.