Kp is nuts about Jones

7:20am Monday 8th September 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

IT appears that Simon Jones has an influential fan on the selection panel at England HQ.

New skipper Kevin Pietersen revealed last week that he wanted to take Worcestershire’s pace ace on tour to India in November.

“I am perhaps not as distraught as he is with the operation he had — I wanted Simon to come to India and play for me for England."

Kevin Pietersen

However, knee surgery has prevented the 29-year-old Welshman from completing this campaign and jumping on that plane to the sub-continent.

Jones is going to be on crutches for another seven weeks before he can even start his rehabilitation, but this is an injury that’s thankfully not as serious as his previous knee woes.

The Llanelli lad still has a remote possibility of making the trip to the West Indies in January, but a lack of competitive cricket makes the chances slim.

“I am a huge Simon Jones fan,” the new England skipper said.

“I have always kept in contact with him and speak with him regularly.

“I am perhaps not as distraught as he is with the operation he had — I wanted Simon to come to India and play for me for England.

“He was an unsung hero in the Ashes of 2005 where he had brilliant statistics.

“He definitely has it and is somebody who really wants to get involved with England again.”

Jones will undoubtedly start next season wearing the three pears of Worcestershire but will he end the campaign wearing the three lions of England?