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‘I was Dean Jones in the backyard’: Tim Paine, Scott Morrison lead tributes for iconic cricketer

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Bonnie RaynorThe West Australian
VideoWATCH: Australian Test captain Tim Paine has paid tribute to the late Dean Jones.

They say the two most important jobs in the country are the Prime Minister and the Australian Test captain, and this morning the duo has paid tribute to the late Dean Jones.

The much-loved 59-year-old tragically passed away yesterday, suffering a heart attack while working in Mumbai on the Indian Premier League broadcast.

Paine said he was one of many who was influenced by the way “Deano” went about his business.

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“All guys around my age grew up loving watching Dean play the game, I think he was one of cricket’s first real entertainers,” Paine said on Channel 7’s Sunrise.

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“He changed the modern game, particularly in white ball.

“Certainly when I was growing up in the backyard, if I wasn’t David Boon I was Dean Jones.

“My brother and the guys I grew up here with were all the same. He’s left a legacy in Australian cricket that we all have to try and follow.

“We just want to pass on our thoughts to his family, it’s a terrible, terrible tragedy unfortunately.”

Dean Jones of Australia in action in 1994.
Camera IconDean Jones of Australia in action in 1994. Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images

Jones’ sudden passing comes after the unexpected loss of Phil Hughes in 2014, with the Taswegian describing it as a difficult period for Australian cricket.

“Unfortunately in the last couple of years we’ve had a couple of really tragic events like this and this one’s hit as hard,” Paine said.

“You see the reaction on Twitter and see how much Dean Jones’ touched the cricketing world and how much he was loved and admired for not only how he played the game, but the way he shared his time and knowledge as a coach when he finished playing.

“It’s something we’re going to dearly miss.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison took to Twitter to pay his condolences to the Victorian.

“An absolute cricketing legend,” he wrote.

“A true entertainer at the crease, whose flair with the bat & electric running between the wickets changed the game forever. A genuine good guy & a huge loss.

“Our hearts go out to Dean’s family, friends, the Australian cricket family & his many fans.”

Australian head coach Justin Langer, who was competing with Jones for a Test spot in 1992-93, reflected on Jones’ most famous innings; his gutsy and defiant double century in Chennai to salvage a draw against India.

"His 200 in Madras, it is almost part of legend in Australian Test cricket, in the brotherhood of the baggy green, is his 200 in Madras, and the way he batted with AB (Allan Border),” Langer recalled on Friday morning.

“It's the stuff of legend(s)."

“One thing about Dean Jones is, there is not that many players who really revolutionised the game.

“You think about maybe Warnie (Shane Warne), you think about Adam Gilchrist, and Dean Jones in one-day cricket, his running between the wickets, his athleticism, the way he took on the game.

“They are my memories of Deano.”

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