Dean Jones Trophy: Australian one-day pioneer honoured
Revolutionary one-day players Dean Jones and Michael Bevan both recognised with new domestic one-day awards minted in their honour
Australian cricket’s domestic One-Day Cup competition winners will lift the Dean Jones Trophy from this summer onwards after cricket.com.au's #NameTheCup campaign reached its conclusion.
The perpetual trophy for the annual limited-overs tournament first introduced as a 40-over competition in 1969-70 has been redesigned and named in honour of Dean Jones after Cricket Australia endorsed the naming recommendation put forward by the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee.
In addition to the naming of the competition's trophy, the committee also named the Player of the Final award the Michael Bevan Medal to acknowledge Bevan’s incredible record and contribution to the limited-overs format.
The Dean Jones Trophy and Michael Bevan Medal will be presented for the first time at the Final on March 1.
The trophy was unveiled today at the MCG by Jones' wife, Jane, and daughters Augusta and Phoebe. It features a silver bowl support by reliefs of Jones in his full flow at his swashbuckling one-day best.
The committee, led by Chair Peter King, assessed the credentials of three standout candidates - Jones, Michael Bevan and Andrew Symonds - after a shorlist of that trio was created following fan votes following a web and social media campaign to #NameTheCup.
The extensive process began with more the 10,000 fans voting to establish a shortlist of candidates. The committee viewed that Jones deserved the naming honour for his contribution to the game as a pioneer in the limited-overs format that paved the way for future generations.
Jones had a tremendous domestic career for Victoria captaining the side to a title in 1994-95 and amassing 2,122 runs at an average of 50.52 across 55 matches.
Known for his attacking game style particularly with his running between the wickets, Jones struck four centuries including a high score of 139no against New South Wales and 12 half centuries.
Key criteria for the award included an elite record at the domestic level in the men's one-day domestic competition, a top performer for Australia in one-day cricket and a player who is synonymous with the 50-over format.
For Australia, Jones was recognised as one of the best ODI batters in the world in the 1980s and early 90s. He played 164 ODIs, scoring seven hundreds and 46 half centuries, and was a member of Australia's first world title in the 1987 ICC World Cup.
Jones was later inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2019.
After more than half a century of the second-oldest domestic one-day series in world cricket carrying a prize bearing the name of various principal sponsors, it will become a titular trophy from this 2024-25 campaign onwards.
Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley said Jones was an icon of the game.
“Dean Jones is an icon of the game and pioneer in one day cricket, who entertained fans around the world wherever he played," Hockley said.
“He was a World Cup winner, an innovator and possessed one of the best records in 50-over cricket for the era that he played. We are delighted to acknowledge his legacy in perpetuity by naming our premier one-day domestic competition in his honour.
“I’d like to thank the thousands of fans who voted on our digital platforms and to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee for ensuring a fair process in selecting Dean from an incredible list of legends of the limited-overs game.”
Daughter of Dean Jones, Phoebe, said her father would be proud to receive this recognition in a competition he loved being involved in.
“On behalf of the Jones family we are very grateful for this recognition of our Dad, who we miss dearly. It makes it extra special knowing its fan voted and will be unveiled today at what he nicknamed ‘his office’ at the MCG," Phoebe said.
“Dad would be extremely proud to receive this acknowledgement. He loved representing Victoria in this competition and winning the 50-over World Cup for Australia in 1987 was what he described as the greatest cricketing day of his life.
“We’d like to thank Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria, the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee and the fans for putting Dad forward to be selected for this honour.”
Cricket Hall of Fame Chair Peter King added: “When the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame selection committee assessed the players for this honour, one player’s performance, record, standing, contribution and impact stood out clearly for it to be a unanimous decision.
“Dean Jones revolutionised the One-Day game and stamped it on the minds of all Australians, it is deserved recognition for someone whose contribution was so vast.”
Matches played
MWins
WLosses
LTies
TNo results
N/RNet Run Rate
NRRDeductions
Ded.Batting Bonus
BatTotal points
PTS 1 South Australia Men SA 5 3 1 0 1 0.172 0 2 16 2 Victoria Men VIC 5 3 2 0 0 -0.32 0 1 13 3 Queensland Bulls QLD 5 2 2 0 1 0.796 0 1 11 4 NSW Men NSW 4 2 1 0 1 0.62 0 1 11 5 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS 4 1 2 0 1 0.204 0 1 7 6 Western Australia Men WA 5 1 4 0 0 -1.053 0 0 4M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
PTS: Total points
