ICC saddened at passing of Dean Jones

By Masood Sattar Khan

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has expressed sadness at the passing of former Australian Test batsman Dean Jones, at the age of 59, in Mumbai on September 24. 

“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,” Manu Sawhney, Chief Executive, ICC, said in a statement. 

“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,” the ICC chief added. 

An attacking batter, the Victorian featured in 52 Tests, making 3631 runs at an average of 46.55. In 164 ODIs, he made 6068 runs, at 44.61, with seven hundreds and 46 fifties. He was a part of Australia's winning team in the 1987 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, hosted jointly by Pakistan and India, and remains number five on the all-time MRF Tyres 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 had retired from international cricket in 1994 and went on to become a coach and more recently a broadcaster commentating on cricket around the world.