Were the BBC being ironic when they added Geraint Jones to their “Sports Academy” section?
His keeping a year ago was so poor that many were (still) questioning his inclusion ahead of Chris Read (the purist’s keeper, but less talented with the bat…so say some). To his great credit, Jones has improved vastly with his glovework (as I mentioned here, in case some think this is a Jones-bashing-post). I had to smile though when I saw the above picture at the Beeb… 
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The point about read being a barsteward was simply that people keep mentioning that jones is a nice guy. Steve Waugh was certainly not known as a pleasant guy but would you have him in your side?
I’m just pointing out that is irrelevant when it comes to picking a side. As it happens both of them are pretty good guys, but I’d pick the one who does the job.
Jones hasn’t been doing the job so he was rightly dropped. Read came in to the test side, scored more runs than jones had for a long while and kept wicket immaculaltley. Until he isn’t doing that on a regularl basis there is no case to replace him. Even then its highly debatable that you would replace him with a keeper who throughout his england career has been failing either with the bat or with the gloves.
Jones will never be the keeper read is, there is a thing call natural talent, which jones just doesn’t have.
I’d say that if Read eventually fails, Davies, foster or at a push prior should come in.
All have a few years on Jones, who’ll be 31 in a few months and all have batted significantly better than him for over a year.
I just fail to see the case for jones and its not because I don’t want to. His batting record for england hasn’t been good enough and his keeping at its best is adequate, but more often than not poor.
ImmacuatleY!? reads keeping has not been imacualet, i dont feel jones would have done any better or any worse with the gloves than read has done, i now truley belive they are as good as each other with the gloves…
You dont lose skill with age in cricket, especially not with the bat, so jones having proved hes got the skill all ready should get a least one more chance to show it.
to your comment about steve waugh, he was a great player, if i had two players, of equal ability, say steve waugh and matty hayden, id put hayden in cause hes a nicer guy than steve waugh, its better for moral, a team with a better spirit plays better. Fact.
But where do you get the idea from that geraint Jones is a nicer bloke than Chris Read? I haven’t heard anyone say anything other than what a nice guy read is, but I still believe its irrelevant.
Also how much does it do for morale when the bowler works hard to create a chance and the keeper drops a dolly or your number 7 can’t score more than 20 runs maximum.
Either way we will never agree, Reads keeping is better in every respect and you will find practically every expert agrees with that.
I say practically as whilst I don’t know of one that does rate jones as good with the gloves there is a small chance someone somewhere does think that.
You even had shane warne declaring he was the best keeper in the country and he’s played CC for two years or so. Or are you going to tell me he’s lying to try and make sure read plays against the aussies? Warne is too straight a bloke for pointless silly games.
As someone who has been a keen player and watcher of the game for over twenty years I can’t say england have had a worse keeper than jones.
My point about Jone’s age is that by the time you are 30/31 you should be at the height of your powers, so he isn’t going to get any better in all probability.
The facts are Jones deserved to be dropped, read deserved to be picked and read has played very well since coming in, so he deserves to keep his place in the side. Jones has hardly done anything to nudge the selectors with his form for kent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JzNQQs1E00&NR
Convosation OVER. JONES WINS
Congratulations to Chris Read o getting the one thing Geraint Jones never got against Australia in any form of the game…..A BIG FAT DUCK!!!!
HAHA agreed. And 4 absoloutly awful byes….he cant be a virgin, he never keeps his legs closed…and it showed as the ball flew through em. intresting how they steered clear of that when jonsey had to rate reads game, thats y i think hes a nice bloke…if it was me i woulda been like…HELLO…Selectors….Look who u picked over me…
So lets keep a tally for the ashes….
Australia are currently +4 runs thanks to read. (reads duck and 4 byes)
ONCE AGAIN, just watchin highlights of England vs west indies in ICC Champions trophy, in two overs he sumed up for me y we need jones in that team, they would be the overs when he missed a remarkably easy stumping of dwayn bravo, I mean dear lord, HE SNATCHED AT IT sumthing u had a go at jones about!!!!!! PLEASE Put the true england wicket keeper back in team, Gearint Jones.
You would think that Geraint Jones was a Journo for BBC not Sky! Ball by ball shambles from Chris Read taken from the bbc website during the ICC win over the West Indies
43rd over: Bravo, who bowls cleverly disguised slower balls and yorkers, is brought on and nearly strikes first up when Pietersen chips the ball down the ground but no-one can snaffle the chance. Read is bamboozled by an off-cutter next ball.
43rd over (222-6): Bravo’s attempted yorker is turned into a full-toss by Pietersen and cracked to the mid-wicket fence but Read almost spoons the fourth slower ball back to Bravo. What an over!
44th over (228-6): Breathtaking running – quite literally – from Pietersen and Read earn England’s main batting hope four runs from two pushes out on the on-side.
45th over: Read is clueless again when Bravo sends down a slower ball and the ball somehow lobs harmlessly out towards mid-off.
45th over: WICKET England 232-7 (Read c Gayle b Bravo 4) Guess what? Another slower ball and this time it’s curtains for Read, who chips it gently to Bravo’s fellow man of the day at mid-on.
EVERYWHERE WE GO….
PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW…..
WHO WE ARE….
AND WHERE WE COME FROM….
SO WE TELL THEM
WE ARE THE ENGLAND
THE MIGHTY MIGHTY ENGLAND
BARMY ARMY BARMY ARMY…..
GERAINT’s BARMY ARMY
BARMY ARMY…
ITS Fine Playing Read as the specialist keeper….its fine he isnt getting runs (its not his job) But went the tit cant keep either….GET JONES BACK ARHRRHHRR
Ps. Jones is also much better Tv presenter. LOL
we love geraint we do oh Geraint we luv u we luv u Geraint we do we love u Geraint we do we love u Geraint we do oh GERAINT WE OVE U!!!!!
Will he be in the team for the ashes?
LETS HOPE COMMON JONAH M8!!
Richard ure on ure own haha read is absoloute shite!!!!! haha
on ure own on ure own on ure own
on ure own on ure own on ure own
on ure own on ure own
JONES WINS AND JONAH M8 URE AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND!!!!!
EVERY1 WANTS U BACK IN THE TEAM!!!!
Why dont u get off Reads back and start supporting him, he is the one behind the sticks not jones. I was also wondering do you lot watch the games hoping for Read to make a mistake? If ya do a wouldnt know wat to say to that, ud rather see england lose just so jones can come back into the team and then probably make some more mistakes and then you will come back on here to moan about that. Grow up and support the team who are playing.
In reply to English_cricket fan….
“I was also wondering do you lot watch the games hoping for Read to make a mistake?” Wasn’t that what everyone was doing when Jones played?
“ud rather see england lose just so jones can come back into the team and then probably make some more mistakes and then you will come back on here to moan about that.”
Sorry, are England winning all their games at the moment?
Just food for thought…..Agree that all should be behind the men in possession but this IS a blog!!!
If read was doing fine, and england were winning we would have anything to argue bout! would we! however…read is playing poor, in my opinion worse than jones would be, look im sure reads a really nice guy, but at the end of the day if he doesnt live up to the hype of being englands greatest with the gloves. thats his problem.
Its much harder to keep on club cricket pitchs due to uneven bounce compared to international pitchs which are almost always supream. so if most club keepers only let 20 byes through a season, the read should not have let that many through in 10 games for england!!!!!!
Jones probably cant do any better but he has the potential…read doesnt.
Just another point….Where is my second favorite player…!? missing from the ashes squad….?? the one i have tried to get my clubs new pavillion named after….
Sir gary pratt?
(12th Man god)
mmmmm – Jones is picked vrs the Aussie PM’s XI. Drops Phil Jacques on 21 who goes on to get 112 (net loss of 91) – granted he scored 13no so net loss becomes 78 although he did let through a bye so net minus of Jones is 79.
Good job he averages 27 to Read’s 17 at test level those extra 10 runs per innings over a series will be crucial!!!!!!!!!!!
Typical Jones!!!! Fantastic catch off Flintoff, shocking drop off Anderson. Was a big chance for Geraint to cement a test berth on familiar wickets
I personally think would have put down flintoffs catch, but caught andersons, so i think hes on a level par, i agree had he taken both he would have regained his place in the side fully, also his NOT out was very useful, thos he didnt score many runs, he look safest batsman out there.
if there gunna have 5 bowlers, they have to have jones, REad can be ok with the bat, but he can be unpridictable, he will get 50 or a duck. where as jones if he carrys on like yesterday with his batting, should get 50 every match.
Well now according to cricinfo Geraints got his place back for the 1st test they believe his batting will flourish in the area he grew up an that he handles pressure better, thats what they think what do you think about that, personally i think it’s harsh on Read and i am a Jones fan I mean they haven’t even seen Read in the warm up games yet!
Wheres the mighty richard? lol…4 month debate and hes not here for me to gloat.
Jones deserves the gloves, even if this is his last chance with the gloves.
Up the england
!
The debate rumbles on. Place your votes here
I didnt find thing that i need…
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2 byes conceded (out of 800+ runs)
52 contributed with the bat
0 drops
Contiunued support for his underperforming bowlers
All in all a decent test match for Mr Jones on his “home” ground
Just a shame about the result…..
I dont think Geriant will be dropped for the 2nd test. Did nothing wrong over the 5 days, looked in good nic in the 2nd innings.
DID you see them couple of drives from jones in the second innings through the covers, for me they were the finest (techniqal) Shots of the test match, and considering the fine display of batting that took place, that pritty damn good. what i would say, is that the second dismisal wasnt as unlucky as people made out, he got a bad ball but the shot was miss-timed. and anyone who knows me on this site will be shocked that i just critized my favorite sports player!
Before becoming a wicket keeper, geriant jones was a pharmasist in wales. all i can say is he knows how to stop the runs
.