Martin Jean-Jacques

Jean-Jacques was born in Dominica at Soufrière in July 1960, but immigrated to England as a child, where he attended Aylestone High School. He first played county cricket for Buckinghamshire at minor counties level, debuting against Berkshire at Amersham in the 1983 Minor Counties Championship.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6685/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Martin Jean-Jacques|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 August 2023|url-access=subscription}} It was for Buckinghamshire that he made his debut in List A one-day cricket, against Lancashire in the 1984 NatWest Trophy, followed by a second appearance against Somerset in the 1985 NatWest Trophy.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6685/List_A_Matches.html|title=List A Matches played by Martin Jean-Jacques|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 August 2023|url-access=subscription}} Following good performances at minor counties level, Jean-Jacques was signed by Derbyshire.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Articles/3/3460.html|title=Brief profile of Martin Jean-Jacques|first=Matthew|last=Reed|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 August 2023|url-access=subscription}} On his first-class debut against Yorkshire at Sheffield in the 1986 County Championship, he batted at number eleven and made 73, sharing in a Derbyshire record-partnership for the tenth-wicket of 132 with Alan Hill, a record which remains as of {{year}}. He also took his maiden first-class wicket in this match, that of Geoff Boycott.{{cite web|url=https://www.ageasbowl.com/cricket/news/black-history-month-brief-encounters-1/|title=Black History Month: Brief Encounters 1|website=www.ageasbowl.com|date=27 October 2022|accessdate=20 August 2023}} Three matches later against Kent, he took his career best innings bowling figures of 8 for 77 and took match figures of 10 for 125.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47521.html|title=Derbyshire v Kent, Britannic Assurance County Championship 1986|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 August 2023|url-access=subscription}} Jean-Jacques played first-class cricket for Derbyshire until 1992, making 53 appearances,{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6685/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Martin Jean-Jacques|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 August 2023|url-access=subscription}} in addition to making forty one-day appearances. He typically found his opportunities at Derbyshire limited by the presence of other fast bowlers in the Derbyshire side, such as Michael Holding, Ole Mortensen, and Devon Malcolm.{{cite book|title=No Holding Back: The Autobiography|last=Holding|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Holding|year=2010|pages=67–68|publisher=Orion Publishing Group|location=London|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4q_sqhILzdYC|isbn=9780297859376}} His longest run in the side came in 1990, when bowlers across England struggled to take wickets. In first-class cricket for Derbyshire, he took 115 wickets at an average of 35.57; he took five wickets in an innings on two occasions.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6685/f_Bowling_by_Team.html|title=First-Class Bowling For Each Team by Martin Jean-Jacques|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 August 2023|url-access=subscription}} With the bat, he scored 587 runs at a batting average of 11.28.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6685/f_Batting_by_Team.html|title=First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Martin Jean-Jacques|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 August 2023|url-access=subscription}} In one-day cricket for Derbyshire, he took 43 wickets at an average of 33.86, with best figures of 3 for 22.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6685/a_Bowling_by_Team.html|title=List A Bowling For Each Team by Martin Jean-Jacques|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 August 2023|url-access=subscription}}

With his contract at Derbyshire ending in 1992, several counties showed an interest in signing him. Hampshire were one such county. They found themselves short of fast bowling options as Malcolm Marshall came toward the end of his career. With only the experienced Cardigan Connor to otherwise lead the attack, Hampshire signed Jean-Jacques. He played first-class and one-day cricket for Hampshire until 1994, making seven first-class and nine one-day appearances. In these, he took nine first-class wickets at an average of exactly 47 and nine one-day wickets at an average of 34.11. During his two-year contract, Jean-Jacques struggled with his rhythm and pace, with his contract not being renewed by Hampshire upon its expiration. Ultimately, a knee injury forced his permanent retirement from the county game.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003698/19980604/045/0045|title=Shepherd's Bush Cricket Club|work=Marylebone Mercury|page=45|date=4 June 1998|access-date=20 August 2023|via=British Newspaper Archive}} He continued to play club cricket for Shepherd's Bush into the late 1990s.{{cite news|url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/6500374.stanmore-miss-out-narrowly-in-exciting-finish/|title=Stanmore Miss Out Narrowly In Exciting Finish|work=News Shopper|date=8 August 1998|access-date=20 August 2023}}

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Category:1960 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Saint Mark Parish, Dominica

Category:Dominica emigrants to the United Kingdom

Category:English cricketers

Category:Buckinghamshire cricketers

Category:Derbyshire cricketers

Category:Hampshire cricketers

Category:20th-century English sportsmen