It is with profound sadness that we learnt of the passing of our President, Roger Jones, on Friday evening. Roger founded the cricket club in 1973 and was the driving force behind it as a player, captain, Club President and our most ardent supporter. His commitment to the club and the ethos he upheld and promoted are the reason it endures.
As a player, he played in 719 matches and scored a mammoth 14,892 runs at an average of 24.57 with a highest score of 101 not out. Roger was an excellent fielder who prided himself on being an extremely safe pair of hands in the field – as demonstrated by the 434 catches he took for RRs. He racked up club records which still stand today for the most appearances, most runs and most catches.
Off the pitch he would always be the first to offer congratulations for a great innings, great catch or spell of bowling, as well as advice and encouragement when things weren’t going so well on the field. He would always go out of his way to greet players, supporters and opposition club members alike on a Sunday (even those who didn’t support Kent CCC!) – and was particularly welcoming of new players and supporters to the club.
We owe Roger a huge debt of gratitude for all he has done to create a club that plays such a huge part in the lives of many of us. It is up to the rest of us to continue his legacy by enjoying our cricket in the Corinthian spirit of which he would be proud. He will be sorely missed by all at the club and we offer our sincere condolences to his family.
RIP Roger