If there were still people wondering why England took their ruthless decision to drop Chris Read and replace him with Geraint Jones, they now have their answer.
 Jones showed on Sunday that he is a genuinely talented player |
In scoring his first century in only his third Test match to put England on the path to victory, Jones has achieved something truly admirable.
Throw in the fact that he was batting at number seven, and it becomes even more notable.
The fact is that wicket-keepers are expected to be capable batsmen.
There is nothing new about this - think of the debate that used to rage about Jack Russell and Alec Stewart, Bob Taylor and Alan Knott, Bruce French and Paul Downton.
What has changed recently is that the likes of Adam Gilchrist and Mark Boucher have become match-winners and this has increased pressure on the other keepers around the world.
Jones showed on Sunday that he is a genuinely talented player.
His century was full of cover drives, cuts and pulls. He reached his 50 with a six and when he guided Daryl Tuffey to third man for the single, which took him to his hundred, he could not stop leaping around in joy.
At home in Brisbane, his father was listening to the commentary on the internet. At 2.15am, he retired to bed a happy man.
 |  New Zealand were simply dreadful |
It says a great deal for Jones' innings that he outscored Andrew Flintoff, with whom he added 118 crucial runs.
It also says a great deal about the maturity Flintoff displayed in what might prove to be his most important innings for England.
He should have been given out lbw to Tuffey when he had 90, so maybe it was poetic justice that he spooned a catch to mid-off four runs later.
But the New Zealand bowlers found his presence at the crease as intimidating as Graeme Smith's South Africans did last summer.
Until England's fateful burst in the evening sunshine, the one disappointment of this match has been the standard of the bowling from both teams.
New Zealand were simply dreadful - and this after Styris hit Flintoff in the throat from a good length in the second over of the day.
This is an awkward pitch on which to bat and, finally, England exploited the uneven bounce.
Mark Richardson was gloved in front of his face by Hoggard and was beautifully caught by Jones, while the catch taken by Trescothick at slip to dismiss Brendon McCullum will surely be the catch of the summer.
MMIX
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