GO Jones of England

Full Name:

Geraint Owen Jones

DoB:

Wednesday, July 14, 1976

Birthplace:

Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea

Teams:

Kent

Test Debut:

v West Indies at St. John's (Antigua), 2004

ODI Debut:

v West Indies at Nottingham (Trent Bridge), 2004

Bats:

RH

Bowls:

n/a (wkt)

Player Record:

link to stats

When Geraint Jones first burst onto the scene he appeared to be the answer to England's most desperate prayer – for a counter-attacking wicketkeeper-batsman akin to the Australian phenomenon Adam Gilchrist.

Indeed, England were already thinking as far ahead as the Ashes when they replaced Chris Read with Jones in the 4th Test at Antigua against the West Indies last spring. Read was a great keeper but in the Gilchrist age the man with the gloves must also bat well.

Initially the Papua New Guinea-born Aussie-raised Welshman did provide major runs, though at times his keeping looked anything but the finished article.

Against New Zealand last summer he drove anything overpitched so fiercely that bowlers dropped short and were then duly cut and pulled with panache.

His thrilling counter-punching hundred in the 2nd Test at Headingley transformed the match. Unfortunately, he has yet to play another major Test innings despite some useful fifties.

In the winter tour of South Africa his glovework came under renewed scrutiny and prompted some pre-season sessions with England great Jack Russell who claims to have corrected Jones's technical faults.

It seemed to be working during the one-day games preceding the Ashes as Jones took a high number of catches and made few glaring errors. His 71 in the NatWest Series final also suggested he has what it takes to front up to the Aussies.

The best thing I can say to Jones is that if people try to judge him against Adam Gilchrist, to put it right out of his mind.

I would say don't even consider it and be your own man. It's almost impossible to equal Gilchrist, who averages 56 and is unique in Test history as a wicket-keeper/batsman.

Jones has to do his own thing well. First of all, his wicket-keeping will always be under scrutiny, like Gilchrist's is, and he has to make sure that he doesn't drop anything or miss anything.

If he concentrates too much on his batting, he might miss something and the batsman could go on to get a hundred. Then he'll be thinking, oh god, I've got to get a hundred to make up for it.

If he doesn't miss anything he'll take the psychological pressure off himself and his batting will become a bonus.

My only concern about his batting is that he showed in South Africa that he's a compulsive hooker. He hits it but he's not in control of it. I think they'll put two men back and pepper him at some stage.