P Deeley: D Jones Providing Guiding Lights For Derbyshire (24 Nov 1995)

The Electronic Telegraph Friday 24 November 1995

Australian brilliance provides guiding lights for Derbyshire

Peter Deeley in Melbourne meets the latest recruits in the `greening` of counties

IT could be called the "greening" of English cricket - the shake-up in the county game under the influence of the baggy green cap of Australia which takes place next summer.

Former Test batsman Dean Jones, who leads Derbyshire for the next two years, says that when he gets there in April "I`m going to give the side the Aussie feel of things."

The Victorian captain will be working in tandem with his State coach, Les Stillman. At the Oval, Australia`s Dave Gilbert takes over as coach; Daryll Foster continues in a similar role at Kent while Tom Moody once more assumes the captaincy of Worcestershire.

Gilbert believes it is a reflection of Australia`s present supremacy in the world game. Jones thinks it is also a tribute to the "tough, never-say-die" attitude his countrymen bring to sport.

He acknowledges that the MCG and the County Ground are worlds apart in terms of facilities. "But if we win the championship next summer Derby will be the greatest ground in the world."

Jones sees many similarities in the jobs. "Here in Victoria I`m almost supplying the bowling line-up for the national team, and that goes for Derbyshire too.

"Hopefully, I`ll work with the England selectors to see what they want to do with their boys; make sure they aren`t over-cooked.

"If a guy isn`t fit enough at the start of the season we won`t be picking him"

" It`s up to Devon Malcolm and the rest to make sure pre-season that they are up to the mark. But I can state categorically that if a guy isn`t fit enough at the start of the season we won`t be picking him. I believe there are many good prospects at the club and I`m looking to `Bomber` Wells and Kim Barnett to help me to mould the team together. They know the county game better than I do so I`m certainly going to be in the position of listening as well as leading."

Jones, with Durham in 1992, was in negotiations with them again when Derbyshire`s approach arrived "out of the blue".

"Mike Horton, the Derbyshire chairman, said he wanted some Australian influence at the club. I said pretty well that I wouldn`t come unless they took on Les. I said: `A captain can`t do everything. You need some Australian influence off the field as well`.

"We`re having a meeting with Horton when he comes after Christmas. We`ll mention a few things to him, what we think is the right way to go."

Jones warns that it will be hard work, both for him and the Derbyshire playing staff. "We have different fielding drills. But winning looks after itself. I have to try to create an environment where everyone is happy and can go out and do the job."

What is the X-factor that Australian cricket has to offer? "Australian guys who have gone over to England have been very good pros, mix well, try their darnedest. We don`t back off, don`t throw it in."

Jones says his experience in England has taught him that there is "a hell of a gap between club and county" that does not exist in Australia, and the same applies from second to first XI.

"I will not be playing dull cricket or going for draws. I will not be giving easy runs"

"Some of your batsmen seem just to be playing to make their thousand runs for the season. There`s a softer edge to your game generally, though you have some very fine players."

Jones and Stillman have been captain and coach together at Victoria for three years. Last year they won the one-day competition and just missed getting into the Shield play-off.

Stillman, who has never been to Derby, explains: "We want to combine the best of both cricket cultures. I`ve just been going through their fitness and training programmes. I noticed, for example, the comments to players about not throwing the ball at the stumps unless there was a chance of a run-out.

"We encourage our players to have a shy at the stumps and the man at fault is the one who fails to back up."

This illustrates Jones`s way of playing the game. "Be aggressive, positive. I`ll do anything I can to win the games within the rules.

"I will not be playing dull cricket or going for draws. I will not be giving easy runs. It comes down to skippers making better declarations and preparing guys properly to win games. That`s the hardest thing to teach blokes - how to win."

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/et/)