Former Sydney University Cricket Club (SUCC) batsman Chris Jones has described his century against Australia as “surreal” in last week’s four-day tour match.
Jones – who played for SUCC during the 2009/10 Sydney Grade Cricket season – scored his maiden first-class century against Australia’s likely Ashes first test bowling line-up of James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.
The 22-year old, called up to replace injured teammate Alviro Petersen, made 130.
“I had no real expectations of the day, I was just happy to be playing,” Jones told BBC Somerset.
“It didn’t sink in until I actually got to a hundred. It was surreal.”
Jones has played 21 first-class matches previously, but had never scored more than 69.
His impressive performance for Somerset came four days after he hit 153 in a club game for Taunton Deane against Weston-super-Mare.
And it rounded off a successful week on all fronts for the Essex-born player, who also received a first-class honours degree in economics at Durham University.
“I’ll remember this for a long time,” he said.
“Everything’s gone to plan over the last seven days. Maybe next week won’t be so good.”
Australia went on to win the match by six wickets.
Jones scored 412 runs at an average of 103 for the Sydney University second grade side in season 2009/10 and scored 130 runs at an average of 13 in first grade.
