Old master gives Jones the thumbs up

By Scott Heinrich

GERAINT JONES FACTFILE Tests: 8 Runs: 359 at an ave of 35.9 Highest score: 100 v NZ at Headingley, 2004 Catches: 27; Stumpings: 2

There can hardly be a greater endorsement for a rookie wicket-keeper than Alec Stewart admitting he is an admirer.

But Geraint Jones enjoys the unqualified support of Stewart, the most celebrated keeper-batsman in England's history and their most capped Test player.

"I'm a big fan of Jones," Stewart, who hung up his gloves in 2003, told BBC Sport.

"I gave Geraint the nod just before I retired. I believed he was the right man to take over from me.

"He's filled that role of the batsman-keeper, or all-rounder, and I think he'll just go from strength to strength.

"He's the answer in my opinion and now it's down to him to fulfil the roles he's been asked to do."

Jones, 28, scored a hundred in his third Test match and is so entrenched in the team now that it seems a trick of the mind he was not heir apparent to Stewart's throne.

Selectors plumped for Nottinghamshire's Chris Read for England's first tour without Stewart last winter, but despite good glovework Read lost his Test place, then one-day spot, to Jones.

It generated much hullabaloo, with purists outraged that a perfectly good stumper should be dropped just because he wasn't scoring enough runs.

I fully expect Geraint to enjoy a long career with England Alec Stewart

But the role of the Test wicket-keeper has changed in recent times, with a greater emphasis placed on batting skills.

"Chris Read is probably the best gloveman in the country, but the job is about more than just glovework," Stewart says.

"The modern game says that your keeper should bat at seven and should be able to score hundreds.

"Australia's Adam Gilchrist set the benchmark, and in truth you've got to have two all-rounders in your side.

Jones cemented his place in the side with a ton at Headingley

"We've got Andrew Flintoff and we've also got Jones, whose glovework is getting better all the time and to me he is a good enough batter."

Stewart, who began his England career as a batsman but later added keeping to his repertoire, believes Jones could command a place in the team on batting alone.

"The way to judge a genuine all-rounder is to ask if they could get in the side as a specialist in either of their chosen arts.

"For Jones, I would say yes to both."

Despite Read falling out of favour with selectors quickly, Stewart does not expect the same fate to befall Jones, who will make his ninth appearance in this week's first Test against South Africa.

"He's in possession of the gloves now, and when you're in possession it's very much down to you," Stewart says.

"Read had to work hard on his batting - which he's doing - so he'll be pushing Jones and I also think Matt Prior down at Sussex is another who will push hard.

"But I fully expect Geraint to enjoy a long career with England."

With the abounding confidence of Alec Stewart in his corner, how can Jones fail?