Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanacks,
Football & Sporting Memorabilia
Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
22nd, 23rd & 24th March 2024
Lot 248
Estimate: £300/500
Hammer: £800
Ernest Jones. South Australia, Western Australia & Australia 1892-1908. Excellent sepia cabinet card vignette photograph of Jones depicted full length in bowling pose, wearing his Australian Test cap. Nicely signed in black ink to the photograph ‘Sincerely Yours Ernest Jones’. Cabinet card by E. Hawkins & Co, Brighton. 4.25”x6.5”. Minor soiling to the mount with small pin hole to the top edge, the photograph in very good condition.
Ernest Jones toured England with the Australian team on the 1896, 1899 and 1902 tours and played in nineteen Tests for Australia. His bowling action was controversial and complained about in both England (in 1896) and Australia and he was the first player to be called for throwing in a Test match in the 1897/98 series in Australia. His deadliness with the ball came from his ability to make short pitched deliveries rear up in a most alarming manner and at his height he was regarded by many as the greatest of all Australian fast bowlers. He was known as ‘The man who bowled a ball through W. G. Grace’s Beard’. He also played Australian rules football. He died in 1943 at the age of 74 years.