PROFILE

Former Australia Test opener Phil Jaques is now playing as a domestic player in his second spell with Yorkshire by virtue of holding a UK passport because both his parents were English-born.

The left-hander has extensive experience of county cricket having also played for Northamptonshire and Worcestershire, while he also played for New South Wales in his homeland. He retired from professional cricket in Australia at the end of their 2011/12 domestic campaign.

Although far from an out and out attacking player, Jaques is an eye-catching stroke player who was instrumental in the White Rose county’s successful summer of 2012 when the secured County Championship promotion, a place the t20 Finals Day and then qualified for the Champions League.

The Wollongong-born player, who could feasibly have played for England after some stellar form for Northants early in his career, can point to injury as a major reason why he has not played more for the Aussies. 

A severe back injury, leading to three operations, restricted this late starter to only eleven Tests and six one-day internationals between 2005 and 2008.

Jaques, a former winner of the prestigious Australian domestic Cricketer of the Year award, finished his Test career with 904 runs, three hundreds and a notable average of 47.47. He has scored eight double centuries in his first-class career to date, including two of them for Yorkshire in 2004 and 2005.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

1998 - Played for Sydney grade side Sutherland against the touring New Zealanders as an 18-year-old. He still plays for the same club during an English winter more than 15 years on.

1999 - First taste of English cricket came with Liverpool Competition side Northern over the other side of the Pennines.

2001 - Made his first-class debut for New South Wales in March in a Pura Cup match against Queensland at the Gabba. Having received a late call-up, he was forced into a dash from Sydney and had to bat at number ten with NSW 70-8 in their first innings when he arrived at the crease. The team included Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, Stuart MacGill and Stuart Clark. He top-scored with 40. 

2003 - Scored his maiden first-class century for Northamptonshire - 149 not out - against Worcestershire at New Road in April. Finished his maiden county campaign with 1,409 runs. His maiden double ton came against Yorkshire, which maybe prompted them to offer him a deal the following summer.

2004 and 2005 - Scored 2,477 runs in two first-class seasons as Yorkshire’s overseas player, including eleven fifties and seven hundreds. He averaged a whopping 61.92 as the county sealed Championship promotion in the second season. 

2005 - Jaques returned home from Yorkshire to score three successive one-day hundreds for his state as well a four-day ton sandwiched in between, earning him a Boxing Day Test debut against South Africa at the MCG in Melbourne, in which he opened and scored two and 28. Not only did he get the Test call whilst on holiday in Queensland, he had to introduce himself to captain Ricky Ponting when he arrived at training.

2006 - Made his one-day international debut against South Africa at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, and his 94 was the highest score by an Australian debutant.

2007 - Notched back-to-back Test centuries against Sri Lanka at Brisbane and Hobart in November, the latter a 237-ball 150 - his highest career score at that level.

2008 - Played the last six Test matches of his career, and was dropped following the tour of the West Indies in June even though he travelled to India later in the year. He returned home early to have back surgery. 

2010 - Returned to county cricket with Worcestershire for the summer.

2011 - Scored two hundreds in a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG in February, the last two for his home state.

2012 - Announced his retirement from Australian first-class cricket in January having already signed a two-year contract to be Yorkshire’s overseas player. Was able to get his status changed to a domestic player as a result. Scored 792 Championship runs from 15 matches, including a ton on his second debut against Essex at Headingley in April and also a brilliant 160 to help seal victory against Gloucestershire at Bristol in May. Appointed assistant coach of Big Bash Twenty20 team Sydney Thunder in November.