Dean Jones has just passed away in India.
Only 59 years old
What crap year this is
Absolutely legend of the game
terribly sad.
RIP Deano.
F@#$! Cannot believe it
Yes, reports are he had a massive heart attack while having lunch in his hotel.
Brett Lee was on hand and tried CRP, but to no avail.
I've really lost interest in cricket over the past 10 years or so, but back in the day Dean Jones was my favourite cricketer. He was one of the first 'modern cricketers' with the way he ran between the wickets, struck the ball and fielded.....but was still old school in the way he carried on off-field. >:D
RIP.
And lets not forget, a dyed in the wool Bluebagger. RIP
I went to his school - Mt Waverley High - he was always spoken of with awe. As another said started the revolution of improving fielding standards, running between wickets and the one day game.
There's been a heap of 80s and 90s one day games on Foxtel recently, where he features a lot - he was great to watch when going - you do forget. He would have been almost unstoppable with today's bats and smaller fields.
Gutsy as (210 in India, asking Curtly Ambrose to remove his wristbands).
Still passionate about cricket and developing it.
RIP
I played cricket against Deano, and his brother, it's a sad day.
I had a lot of time for Dean, he didn't fall into line like some, he challenged the authoritarians in control and in someways changed the game for the better. He wasn't scared to question anybody, a unique player and person, but because of what some saw as his brash nature he was treated a little harshly by some of the Australian cricket mafia. They didn't like being questioned.
And as mentioned, he was a serious serious Bluebagger!
Lovely guy to chat with and sure knew his cricket. That's a tragic loss, especially at 59. Adored in India and reckon they'll fly him home as a tribute.
Very sad news, great Victorian and Australian cricketer and as others have said also a keen Blues supporter...RIP
59... just too young.
a huge figure in my childhood memories.
Very devastating day.
Horrible news. Very Sad RIP Champ :(
Sad news indeed.
RIP DJ.
Shocking news. Too young.
RIP
pretty sure Deano was the reason my first bat was a County. What a gun.
Henry Blofeld will miss him ... and do the right thing for once Elton. Return his Test Cap
Terribly sad news!
RIP Deano.
Suffered terribly at the hands of the political establishment that calls itself the ACB... RIP to a great Victorian and supporter of the game, at Test, state, club and community level
One of the true giants and pioneers in Aussie cricket. Still shocked. A true individual who did it his way.
Loved his cricket, loved life, loved his BlueBaggers... and women ;) Crammed more into his short life than most could in two lifetimes. 59 is too short an innings, but like his cricket, Deano's life was full of colour, passion, inspiration and courage.
He wasn't hesitant at giving them some stick.
Quite a few of the timid types hated him winding up the opposition, especially the Windies bowlers, the introverts basically blamed Dean for being the victims of guys like Ambrose, Marshall and Garner. Some will remember when he asked Ambrose to remove the wristbands.
He had a run in with Beefy Botham as well, but he wasn't on his lonesome in that regard! ::)
When you played against Deano he was like a mosquito buzzing around your ears, hyperactive, never stopped and never shut up! He was completely addicted to cricket, so much so that when turf was washed out he'd go down to the lower levels and play on matting. A few would do that but they'd only do it for cash, Deano did it for free just to have a game! He gave you the impression he liked fielding even more than batting or bowling, he chased the pill like a greyhound chases a rabbit. One time he ran from close in on the opposite side of the pitch and still beat a team-mate to the ball out near the opposite boundary!
Two things I never knew, Deano's nickname was actually "Legde" (as in Legend) and his father "Barney" (who was the GM of construction company I worked for in late 80s early 90s) played U19s for Carlton, hence the Bluebagger connection.
A 3rd. Went to Mount Waverley secondary college just like myself.
Clearly I was the most talented bloke to come out of there.
Fun fact, so did Brett Thornton. I knew him personally.
Born in Coburg. I always thought he was from Romsey/Lancefield way. Maybe he lived there.
I know someone whose son lives in Romsey who confirms DJ certainly had a property there.
Yes, I can confirm he and his brother played some junior and senior cricket out that way.
Yep the school mentioned on facebook he was a student from 1974 to 1979.
Believe he played at Ashwood, but can't have been for long because he went to Carlton pretty young. Paul Reiffel also played at Ashwood.
Glenn played at a few clubs in the area, with controversy following him...
Foxtel have been playing the Legends interview with Craddock from a couple of years ago. Good viewing.
Deano had a property at Romsey as does Brian Taylor....
I think a few of us are talking youth years before 1st Class, while others are talking post Test career.
Mind you, Deano was still occasionally turning up to local cricket for a game post-Test career as was Rodney Hogg, although Hogg was on cashies and Deano was just there because he was addicted to cricket!
PS; You don't know what white-knuckle means until you have to open the batting on matting in a very light drizzle, with recently retired Rodney Hogg off the long run because he is naturally nasty to all batsmen no matter what the level or match circumstance! It's very unnerving to look around and notice the keeper is just a gentle under-arm away from the boundary! My opening partner came down from the non-strikers end after the first couple of delivers, from which I was hoping for a some reinforcing advice, and instead he looked a little sheepish and said, "crap I didn't see them!" So much for just having a bit of a hit with some mates on a damp afternoon! :o (Even worse, at higher levels I was a Bowling All-Rounder not an Opening Batsmen!) :(