Dean Jones’ life ended in heartbreaking regret: his fallout with fellow Australian cricketer legend Merv Hughes, with whom he was once « closer » than brothers «
The Victoria and Test teammates had barely spoken to each other in 25 years Hughes has been conspicuously absent among the many tributes paid to Jones since his death of a heart attack at just 59; except for an ironic retweet on Twitter in which a gambler criticized his silence
The Big Merv feud was the saddest chapter in a series of ruined relationships in Jones’ life as a cricket maverick
The brilliant batsman, coach and commentator in January canceled his life membership with Cricket Victoria, also demanding his name be removed from the state’s Player of the Year medal CV had kept Jones at bay; despite his success as an overseas coach, he has been snubbed for coaching jobs with the Melbourne Stars and Renegades BBL teams
The rejection hurt – but it wasn’t as painful as losing Hughes as a mate
« This is the biggest regret of my life, » Jones said in 2016 on Fox Sports’ Cricket Legends « We were closer than brothers »
The crisis came during a trial match at Victoria in the mid-1990s, when Hughes was trying to play from injury at the end of his career Jones was put in a position to back or sack the great paceman – and unfortunately chose the latter, although his friend insists he was fine
There was already growing bitterness between the two Joneses and Hughes allegedly sledged so viciously throughout the test match that hardened fellow pros were shocked at the personal animosity
« He got to a point where he got injured, the previous game he had had a hammer or something, and I said, ‘Dude, the selectors told us you got to do a Tryout match Just five overs in this tryout match, « Jones said
« When I got upstairs at the end of the game day of the second XI game, all the selectors said, ‘No he’s done, we can’t pick him’ And I have looked at the selectors chair and I said, ‘Okay, haul it’
« So we called him into the room We sat down and I said, » Merv, how are you feeling? And he said, ‘I told you Deano, I was right I will agree to Tasmania next week ‘
« And then the selectors looked at me and said, ‘It’s up to you Deano You do whatever you think is right’ I looked at him and I said, ‘Sorry, you don’t ‘re not ready’ ‘ »
This was seen by Hughes as a serious and irrevocable offense against their friendship.The fast bowler’s first-class career ended in the 1994-95 season, three years before Jones, who refused to choose his mate once great
Jones deeply regretted the snub, counting it as the one time he should have put camaraderie above cricket
“Looking back if I had a chance I would play it. Friendship the game isn’t just about winning all the time,” Jones said on Cricket Legends
« We went to war together If he hadn’t hung out with me in Adelaide (a test against the West Indies in 1989 in which Jones hit 216), I would never have had a 200 He got hit 45 times
« When I was captain of Victoria I always told myself that whatever the friendships, whatever happens, I always prepare and take care of the White V
« It was a difficult time We tackled it but we are nowhere near as close as we were
« He was also at the end of his career; he was fighting those demons and you’re a different person when you are, » What should I do next? « We didn’t know what we were going to do next in life after that, so we didn’t organize much »
Jones was a beloved figure among Australian cricket fans, a wonderful thinker in the game, but also lived a complicated life
His ex-lover, Kerri-Anne Hamilton, spoke out among tributes to Jones so that his son Koby – born of their affair – would be duly recognized after the death of the cricket icon
While playing, Jones was devastated when after making his 39 debut for Victoria, veteran Ray Bright stood up in the locker room and called him « the worst drummer I have ever seen play for Victoria » This was after watching iconic paceman Dennis Lillee at WACA, aged just 20
« Everyone laughed at me, » Jones said on The Howie Games podcast in 2016 « It was my introduction to cricket for Victoria And it’s not fair, it’s shocking »
Shane Warne revealed that after taking his second try-out wicket, after a scorching introduction to the Australian team against India and then Sri Lanka, Jones fired a shot
« He came into the clique and said, ‘Well done champion, you now average 435 wicket races, well done’ Thanks for that, Deano, » Warne wrote in his Herald Sun column. >
Dean Jones, Australian men’s cricket team, Merv Hughes, Victoria cricket team, One Day International
News from the world – UA – The ruined friendship that devastated Deano
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
