'Relief' and 'pride' as Jones takes her chance

BBC News

2 days ago

Amy Jones had waited a while for her first international century - 12 years, 225 matches and 190 innings, to be exact. Against a struggling West Indies at Derby, in England's first one-day international under the new leadership regime of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards, the wicketkeeper finally made it out of the 90s. Edwards' first tactical move in the 50-over format was to promote Jones back up the order after Maia Bouchier's omission from the side, and she repaid the faith immediately. Jones had opened for England 23 times previously between 2016 and 2019, but said the simplicity of Edwards' approach helped take the pressure off upon her return to the top."She said, 'you've scored big runs at county level opening and you did pretty well opening before so have a good go at it'. For it to be an option was really exciting for me," Jones told BBC Test Match Special. "It feels really special [to make the century]. It feels like it has been a long time, especially with a bit of an opportunity to bat at the top of the order at the start of my career, so it just feels like a lot of relief and a huge amount of pride."
The Ashes drubbing which started the year was one to forget for all of England's players, but Jones suffered a particularly painful experience in the second ODI at Melbourne which really kickstarted England's spiral.Tasked with chasing 181 to level the series, Jones was left unbeaten on 47 having failed to marshal the tail and miscounting the balls left in an over. Since that series, Edwards had made her intentions clear regarding England's "smartness" in 50-over cricket so it is fitting that Jones has immediately answered the call.Jones had made it past 90 three times in an England shirt before, making 94 against India in 2018, 91 v West Indies in 2019 and an unbeaten 92 against New Zealand in 2024 - and the nerves did seem to be kicking in when she was dropped on 92 and 93 in this knock.Tougher opposition will certainly come - in fact, rather soon, with India's arrival next month, but the smile on Jones' face as she embraced fellow centurion Tammy Beaumont in celebration indicated the sheer weight lifted from her shoulders. "There would have been a few people scratching their heads on why she would be opening the batting," said former England seamer Katherine Sciver-Brunt on BBC Test Match Special. "I never thought she lost that spot, so I am massively pleased. She didn't say to whoever was in charge, 'I want that spot back', she just took that she would be four, five or six. "The last two years she has done that well. I am over the moon for her that she has got the first hundred out of the way under some pressure. "I am mega happy for her but the ones that will stand out are the ones that really matter against the best teams in the world."