Dean Jones was an advocate for development of cricket: ICC condoles demise of Australian legend

Image Credits: Twitter/@RaviShatriOfc0

The International Cricket Council has expressed sadness at the passing away of former Australia cricketer Dean Jones, who breathed his last at the age of 59 in Mumbai on Thursday.

The former right-handed batsman, who was in a bio-secure bubble in Mumbai to fulfil his commitments for the host broadcasters in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Extending deepest condolences to Jones's family and friends on behalf of the ICC, Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said, “We are extremely sad to hear of Dean’s sudden death and I would like to extend our deep condolences to his family and friends on behalf of the ICC.

Sawhney further said that Jones had a significant impact on the game as a player, as an advocate for the development of the sport, as a coach and as a broadcaster.

“Dean was a prolific batter playing in 52 Tests and 164 ODIs and was part of the 1987 Australia team who won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He had a significant impact on the game of cricket as a player, as an advocate for the development of the sport as a coach and latterly in his role as a broadcaster. He will be sorely missed by all those in the cricket family," he added.

An attacking batter, the Victorian featured in 52 Tests, making 3, 631 runs at an average of 46.55. In 164 ODIs, he made 6,068 runs, at 44.61, with seven hundreds and 46 fifties. 

Jones was also part of Australia's winning team in the 1987 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and remains number five on the all-time ICC Men’s Batting Rankings in the format.

One of his most memorable Test innings came in 1986, when in the heat and humidity of Chennai, he battled exhaustion and illness to make a heroic 210 in what would be only the second tied Test ever.

He bid adieu to the international cricket in 1994 and went on to become a coach and more recently a broadcaster commentating on cricket around the world.