Today, on the 50th anniversary of his only appearance for England, Glamorgan legend Alan Jones was awarded with England cap 696.
In a special ceremony, conducted via Zoom, Jones received the cap after speeches from Colin Graves, Joe Root, Tony Lewis, and Hugh Morris. In attendance were a number of former Glamorgan players and staff, who were coached by Jones throughout the age groups and during his time at Glamorgan, as well as members of the national media.
Take a look at the media coverage below:
"One of cricket’s great injustices was rectified today when, at the grand old age of 81, Alan Jones was at last capped by England."
Steve James - The Times
"It is time, in this fallow season, to look back and redress wrongs — and one was redressed when the Glamorgan opening batsman Alan Jones, aged 81, was presented with an England Test cap 50 years to the day after he had represented England against the Rest of the World at Lord’s."
Scyld Berry - The Telegraph
"A wonderful ambush, organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board in concert with Hugh Morris, took place in Wales on Wednesday morning. It was 50 years to the day that Alan Jones walked out to open the batting for England against the Rest of the World. Subsequently these matches were denied Test status and he was no longer an England player. Now this wrong has been righted, albeit via a Zoom meeting"
Vic Marks - The Guardian
"But today, that decision has been reversed in a monumentally proud moment not only for Jones but for Glamorgan and Welsh cricket as a whole."
Glen Williams - Wales Online
"While the ECB's gesture does not mean the games are now officially recognised as Tests - the ICC would have to sanction such a decision - it will be widely celebrated by the Welsh cricket-loving community who have long fought for such a move. As Morris put it: ‟The whole of Wales will be thrilled.”"
George Dobell - ESPNCricinfo
"It has been called one of the great injustices of English cricket and Welsh sport which has now finally been recognised.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) have refused to grant the 1970 five-match series Test status, so Jones was denied the chance to say he is an England player. Until now."
Gareth Griffiths - BBC
"It was one of the great injustices in cricket.
When Glamorgan’s prolific opener Alan Jones drove into Lord’s to face the Rest of the World XI he thought he was winning his first – and, as it turned out, only – Test cap...
...It is unfair that those 1970 Tests do not have Test status. Australia v ICC World XI at the SCG in 2005 is still Test No.1768."
Huw Turberville - The Cricketer
“Mae’r cyn-gricedwr Alan Jones wedi derbyn cap Lloegr – hanner canrif i’r diwrnod ar ôl ymddangos yn ei unig gêm ryngwladol – gan ddweud wrth golwg360 ei fod yn “golygu dipyn” iddo.”
Alun Rhys Chivers - Golwg 360 / Hanes y gêm
"Luckily for Jones, who was clearly touched by the presentation, the new cap fits perfectly. 'I'm waiting for the helmet now,' he smiled."
Lawrence Booth - Daily Mail
BBC Sport Wales coverage
BBC Wales Today news feature (clip starts at 22.35 – link expires at 7pm on 18/06)
Read the original article of Alan Jones' receiving his England cap HERE.
This page will be updated when further news is published