SIMON JONES had a chat with a living cricket legend about his action in Australia - and produced the best bowling figures of his career for Glamorgan yesterday.
Former Aussie wicketkeeper Rod Marsh took Jones under his wing while the youngster was at the Australian Cricket Academy last winter.
And the man from Down Under was at Sophia Gardens to see his prodigy rip through the Derbyshire order and take 6-45.
Afterwards Jones praised Marsh and the Academy for his improvement and said: "It was a fantastic start and great that Rod was there to see it.
"I feel I have a point to prove after a couple of below par seasons and I think quite a bit of what happened was down to the Academy.
"I've worked hard on my fitness and on my action, going a little bit more side on, and it is working well.
"I had a chat with Rod and a bio-mechanical expert at the Academy and they said I had to change my action or it would give me grief over the the next couple of years.
"I did a lot of work with fast bowling coach Troy Cooley and he helped me with my front arm position.
"I had been pulling away and drawing my head out in the delivery, pushing the ball down the leg side.
"With the change I am more consistent and getting the ball in the right places more often than not."
But, despite Jones' success, Glamorgan slumped to 163-8 in replay to Derbyshire's 217 all out at the close.
And because 18 wickets fell in the day, the pitch will automatically be the subject of an inspection from Lord's, though it was in no way to blame.
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