Jones: This is my job for keeps

"I've no doubt in my own mind about that. We're going to be playing against the best team in the world this summer and I'm full of determination to show what I can do.

"It's going to be a huge test for me and when I come through it that will quash a few of the doubters."

His use of 'when' rather than 'if ' should be noted. Jones has a confident Aussie-style swagger which makes you believe he will not give up his place lightly.

It seems he has been given every indication by coach Duncan Fletcher that he retains his backing.

As far as his Test form is concerned Jones deserves to have credit in the bank. Last summer, during England's clean sweep, he took a hundred off New Zealand, made 74 against the West Indies and shared in three century stands with Andrew Flintoff.

Those performances with the bat were just what Fletcher had in mind from the Test team's No7 - and just what, one assumes, he believed Read would seldom be able to produce at the highest level.

Jones's batting form was less impressive in South Africa (two 50s and an average of 27), but then again those figures only put him among the majority who performed well below their best during a 2-1 series win.

It is the 28-year-old's wicketkeeping that has the tut-tutterers tut-tutting, though, with every bye (136 in 13 Tests) and each missed chance (six, by general consent) increasing the decibel level. Not much point, say the detractors, in Jones making some reasonable runs this summer if he drops Ricky Ponting on half a dozen and Australia's captain ends up hitting 150. It could pan out that way, of course, but having re-examined what happened in the winter, and discussed the tour with Fletcher, England's keeper appears to be looking forward with confidence.

"I fell a little bit below what I had set myself to do in South Africa," said Jones. "But I try not to beat myself up too much about it. As someone said to me, if when you look back at some point in the future and that's the worst trip you have then it's going to be all right."

That 'someone', you suspect, just might have been Fletcher. "I've spoken to Duncan and he's happy with the way it went," added Jones. "It's nice to find that it went all right from his point of view because there was quite a bit written and said."

So does he think people are on his back? "A little bit, perhaps, but to be fair it's the topic of the moment," he said. "People have their stuff to write and I understand that. I'm just pretty determined to give them the chance to write less and less about the wicketkeeping position."

England, surprisingly, changed a winning team in the West Indies a year or so ago when they dropped Read - who had kept wicket faultlessly but failed to score any significant runs - and gave Jones his big break. But unless injuries play a part there won't be any major shocks this May.

The one-day set-up could be different, however, especially if England decide to persevere with the experiment of opening the batting with Jones for their triangular series matches against Bangladesh and Australia.

There seemed to be a hint of bloody mindedness about the decision to plug away with Jones at the top of the order in South Africa.

He didn't exactly flop - reaching double figures five times in seven innings - but neither did he succeed, failing to reach 40 even once. And that after producing high-octane innings of 66 and 80 in Zimbabwe earlier in the winter when batting at No7.

The experiment doesn't look like coming to an end yet and with England's backing he is now opening for Kent in one-day cricket.

Jones is delighted. He said: "I really enjoyed opening in South Africa and I want to continue to do it."

There is something about Jones, above and beyond the lingering Aussie accent, that should inspire confidence - a look of determination when the subject of alternative England keepers is raised.

It has been a long journey to reach this point. He was born in Papua New Guinea because his Welsh father accepted a teaching job there and brought up in Queensland when the family moved on again.

He might not have been born here but no one should question his commitment to England.

Jones, who will be advised by former England keeper Jack Russell this summer, added: "There are other good players around, but I want people to believe I'm the best and the one who deserves the place.

"I'm gearing myself up to show people I'm the right man to be in the job."