Cricket: West Indian great recalls Dean Jones as a ‘thorn in our flesh’

West Indian great Sir Curtly Ambrose recalls the day Dean Jones asked him to remove his wristbands and said the Aussie great was a “thorn in our flesh”

Sir Curtly Ambrose and Dean Jones at the MCG years after the on-field clash

Dean Jones stared down West Indian great Sir Curtly Ambrose in one of the most memorable moments of his career.

And the fiery fast bowler conceded on Friday that Jones was a “thorn in our flesh”, recalling that famous incident at the SCG on a “sad morning” after the Australian great’s shock death in Dubai

In a pre-planned move during a World Series Cup match 1993, Jones demanded Ambrose remove his white wristbands, complaining it was making it hard to see the white ball.

Jones had discussed the move with then coach Bob Simpson, hoping it could disrupt the giant West Indian bowler.

“That particular incident was a bit of a shock to me because I’ve always worn a wristband, to me it was a very strange request,” Ambrose told SEN on Friday morning.

“I was very reluctant to do it, I wasn’t going to, but my teammates convinced me that it wouldn’t make a difference to the way I bowled. But they were wrong, it made a difference.

“To that point I was bowling within myself. But after the incident with Mr Jones, that really infuriated me, and I started bowling much quicker. I didn’t get him out, but Australia lost.”

I'm deeply saddened and shocked to learn of the passing of Dean Jones; he was a fierce competitor on the field. My condolences to his family, may he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/6RpVyExQjm

— Sir Curtly Ambrose (@ambrose_curtly) September 24, 2020

Jones only made 13 and former Test captain Mark Taylor, who was batting with him, felt the brunt of a fired-up Ambrose who ripped through the Australian batting line-up to claim 5-32 and bowl the visitors to victory.

“Yes, I wasn‘t too happy with Deano that day, to be honest,” Taylor told Channel 9.

“We were only one wicket down and travelling along OK, and I thought we were a chance to win.

“Then Deano decided he wanted Curtly Ambrose to remove his wristbands, and that fired Curtly right up! He knocked over most of us, and we never looked like winning from there.”

Ambrose recalled the 216 Jones made against the West Indies in a Test match in Adelaide, his first encounter with the brash Aussie batsman, before a series of tussles in one-day cricket.

“I remember very clearly that he scored 200 against us in Adelaide, he really took us apart, and that was a great attack,” he said

“He was a wonderful player. When he was walking to the crease you could see that confidence in his stride.

“You can’t tell if he’s scared, nervous, or anything. He always believed in his ability, and no matter what you throw at him he’d get the better of you.

“He was a bit of a thorn in our flesh.

“It was a very sad morning when I received the news today.”