Australian cricketers are tough. This Dean Jones moment was the toughest of them all – Fox Sports

In any discussion about Australia’s toughest cricketers Dean Jones will always be remembered fondly for his brilliant and defiant 210 against India in Madras in 1986.

The tragic passing of Jones to a heart attack in Mumbai at the age of 59 has placed the cricket world in mourning and brought back fonder memories of his triumphs on the field.

No memory stands out more than his heroic stand in torturous conditions in Madras during Australia’s 1986 tour of India.

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The fact that Jones’ majestic and dogged 210 came in the second ever tied Test is a fact often lost next to the memory of his double century in such horrific conditions.

Cricket innings are often measured by their entertainment, precision, skill or brutality, but no innings of endurance could ever top Jones’ effort in the first Test of that fateful tour.

The stage was set for an important match in coach Bob Simpson’s first away tour with the national side in a bid to turn around Australia’s recent run of losses, especially away from home.

It was Jones’ first Test back in the side in more than two years since his debut and he was batting in the crucial No.3 spot in the order.

Australian skipper Allan Border was criticised for putting a 25-year-old relative novice at international level in the most important position in the batting order.

Jones had only managed scores of 48, 5, 1 and 11 in his previous two Test matches to that point.

However Greg Ritchie, Greg Matthews and Stephen Waugh were also young players in the side, so Border had to settle for a first drop and he thought that Jones was made of the right stuff.

Boy was he right.

In most players’ memories of that Test match the two common themes were always the stifling heat and Jones’ now historic knock.

Border won the toss and batted first, with Geoff Marsh and David Boon putting on 48 for the first wicket, and then Boon and Jones added 158 for the second wicket.

Boon was out for 122 on the eve of stumps on day one with Jones was unbeaten on 56 with partner and nightwatchman Ray Bright at the other end.

Day two temperatures reached unfathomable heights as Bright holed out for 30 and Jones charged towards his maiden Test century.

Jones was joined by the man who placed his faith in him in skipper Border and the pair set about building a commanding lead for the visitors.

As Jones’ total continued to climb, crippling cramp set in, first in his hands, then in both his legs and finally in his back.

The fact he could even stay on the field was becoming a miracle.

The temperatures soared in the 40s, and humidity climbed beyond 80% in furnace like conditions that defied logic.

Jones admitted later that he scored his last hundred off just 66 balls because he couldn’t run at all.

As dehydration overtook his weary body Jones had a simple method of blocking, slogging and spewing. Then he would repeat the dose.

By the time he got to within 30 of a double century Jones admitted he started to lose control of his bodily functions.

Jones decided he had to ask his skipper if he could go off and the notoriously tough Border not realising the seriousness of the dehydration that was affecting Jones famously said: “Well go on, off you go then. We’ll get someone tough out here. We’ll get a Queenslander.”

Jones stayed in a desperate bid to please his skipper and blasted his way to 202 at tea, before retiring to the dressing rooms.

Simpson had assigned members of the team to each help Jones out of his gear and shower and hydrate him in an attempt to get him back on the field.

Jones was finally undone on 210 just after tea, but not before etching himself in Australian cricket folklore in arguably the toughest cricket innings ever.

RIP Dean Jones. You will never be forgotten.