Simon Jones is included in the England squad for the Second Test

Simon Jones has been included by the England selectors in a fourteen man squad for the 2nd npower Test against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston, starting on May 30th.

The 23 year old pace bowler has had a fine start to the season, after spending the winter with the E.C.B. Academy in Australia. His haul of 13 Championship wickets so far this summer includes a career best 6-45 against Derbyshire at Cardiff.

Speaking about his selection, Jones said "I had a phone call last night from David Graveney, the Chairman of Selectors, and I`m absolutely thrilled by the news. I`m just looking forward now to being in the starting eleven and reproducing the sort of form I`ve shown so far this season with Glamorgan."

Commenting on Jones` selection, David Graveney said, "we feel that this is a good opportunity for Simon. He is young and raw, but he has an outstanding natural asset in his speed, and we feel that we would like to have him at our disposal until we have had a chance to look at the pitch and assess how it will play. "

There are also doubts about Dominic Cork, who has a groin injury, and should Simon Jones be in the starting line-up on Thursday, there will be no prouder person than his father Jeff, who himself won 15 Test caps for England between 1964 and 1968.

Indeed, there are a few interesting coincidences about the career paths of the two Jones`. Jeff made his England debut against India on January 21st 1964 to win his England cap before his Glamorgan one. Simon is also uncapped so far by the county, and like his father has four seasons of county cricket behind him before being called up into the England squad.

The highlights of Jeff`s Test career came with the ball at Adelaide on the 1964/65 tour to Australia where the left-arm quickie took 6-118, whilst with the bat, he blocked out the final over of the 1967/68 tour to the West Indies to secure the series for England.

Jeff`s career was abruptly ended in 1968 when he damaged shoulder and elbow ligaments, and hopefully this is where the similarities between the career of father and son will end.