Amy Jones embraces Ashes distraction after personal tragedy

This time last summer Amy Jones was yet to see Australia win Commonwealth Games gold on England's turf, yet to be thrust into the role of stand-in captain for her country and yet to return from South Africa empty handed as Australia again lifted the trophy, this time at the T20 World Cup. But amid the tricks that time plays during the most significant moments in life, all that seems so long ago.

In fact, time stood still when Jones, England's wicketkeeper-batter with 165 international caps, lost her beloved mother, Helen, in March. It was just over three months before England were set to host the most hyped of Women's Ashes series, but none of that mattered.

"It came as a huge shock," says Jones, who was on holiday when her younger sister, Emily, called to break the terrible news. "I was in Australia at the time and my brother lives in China, so we were all a bit everywhere. I got back on the quickest flight - it was a very traumatic time and a difficult thing to process."

Helen was just 55 when she passed away suddenly from a brain haemorrhage. She had been living for six years with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease which can affect the brain and spinal cord and, in turn, mobility. But her condition had stabilised and the fact that it was something else which took her life only added to the devastation felt by Jones' close-knit family. It was those ties - and Helen's nurturing of them during her life - that eased the pain somewhat for her family.

"Mom was incredibly loving and a very positive person," Jones tells ESPNcricinfo. "That in itself has helped us all really, just to keep going, knowing it's what she would have wanted. She taught us a lot of life lessons that have helped in this situation.

"We all get on so well. People say it's a bit weird that we just don't argue. But that came from Mom. Even as adults, we all just love being back home, being back together and we just talk for hours. We're a really close family and that's helped a lot over this time."

Jones also had huge support from her team-mates and close friends. The Sciver-Brunts, Katherine and Nat, for whom Jones was a bridesmaid when they wed last year, and Lauren Winfield-Hill rallied round and encouraged her to join them in doing the 50k in May challenge to raise funds and awareness for MS research and care in Helen's name and that of Wendy Langston, mother of former England bowler Beth Langston who also had the condition before she died in December 2020.

"It was a really nice thing that the girls came to me and suggested and it is something that they said they really wanted to do," Jones says. "Some more of my family got involved and a few other friends and it was a nice thing to focus on aside from the cricket and to be able to do something in Mom's name was a really special thing that brought us together."

And since being reunited with the England squad to begin the Ashes with a five-day Test starting at Trent Bridge on Thursday, Jones has also felt huge support.

"Cricket gives a massive distraction," she says. "I was nervous about coming back and how I would be around the team, not wanting to bring anyone down.

"Since I have rejoined with the team it's been really good to be honest, it's given a really good distraction. It's all still very raw and some days are a lot harder than others. But it definitely puts cricket into perspective. I've had a few innings where it feels less important and it's not the be-all and end-all, just sort of enjoy it. Nothing's permanent and life obviously isn't permanent but careers aren't either."

This time last summer Jones hadn't yet worked with Jon Lewis, whose ethos since taking over as England Women's Head Coach in November has also been about taking the pressure off his players.

Having come from the England Men's set up, where he was elite pace bowling coach, Lewis has said from the outset he wants his Women's teams to throw caution to the wind and play with courage, "walk towards the danger", if you will. Sound familiar?

England Women are already showing some of the fearless traits their male counterparts have come to pride themselves on. Both the Women's Test squad and England A put on more-than-convincing performances against Australia A and the senior Australia side respectively during three-day warm-up matches. While both red-ball fixtures ended in draws, England amassed 650 runs, including 510 in a day with Tammy Beaumont retiring on 201, and England A reached 562 in their only innings after bowling Australia out for 284 in their first innings.

Jones has seen changes in her own game, too. Since returning to regional cricket for Central Sparks in May, she has scored two rapid-fire half-centuries and twice more reached the 40s in five innings. She also struck a 65-ball 88 against Australia A and puts her recent fine touch down to "being a bit clearer and being able to express myself".

"The language that's used around the team is very positive and the fear of getting out is a lot smaller than it used to be, so just playing with a lot more freedom and trying to do that in every game I play in and it's gone pretty well so far this summer," Jones adds.

"Our main goal is to inspire and entertain and how that looks to me is picturing young kids watching and wanting to play my shots and put on a bit of a show. The other one is how can we put the bowler under as much pressure as possible. That kind of line gives you a lot of confidence as well, putting the emphasis on putting all the pressure on them in a way is very freeing… the biggest shift has been in mindset."

Batters putting pressure on the bowlers is another hallmark of the Ben Stokes - Brendon McCullum era. So will we see a new brand of cricket during the Women's Test, some 'Bazball' even?

England launched their T20 World Cup against West Indies in that vein and while Jones is happy to have handed back official leadership duties to Heather Knight and her deputy Nat Sciver-Brunt, who were out with a hip injury and for mental health reasons respectively when she took over the captaincy last year, she is excited to see where this approach can take the side.

"It feels like a long time ago last summer, but I definitely felt like I got a lot of learnings from having that responsibility. As a player I really enjoy just being a leader within the team in different ways but having the freedom to just go out and play."

But while Stokes and his team inisist they are not results-driven, that appears to be a point of difference when it comes to Knight and this week's Women's Test.

"Heather has been very open that she's here to win and she wants a result and we really don't want a draw," Jones says. "So I think there will be a very attacking, entertaining game on our hands. We're just going to look to put as much pressure on Australia as we can. They're the best in the world so if we want to win we've got to really take it to them and that's something we're all really excited to do. Hopefully it will be a good, entertaining Test if nothing else."