CAN you imagine the response Frederick Sewards Trueman might have given England’s officials had they invited him to attend yoga classes ahead of an MCC tour?

After puffing on his pipe in due consideration, Fred may well have told them where to shove their Pilates before heading off in the direction of the bar.

Sports science in professional sport has advanced light-years since ‘Fiery Fred’s’ day and Kent’s Geraint Jones was only too happy to talk about the lengths he has gone to in an effort boost his flexibility and core strength ahead of this winter’s tours to Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“I’m well pleased and feel really well prepared, so much so that it’s felt like I’ve been hanging around a few days waiting to get out there and play,” said Jones before heading for Namibia on Monday.

“I’ve been working with a personal fitness trainer Andy Bray and I’ve done extra work in the nets with our three coaches at Kent. Added to that I’ve been sharpening my reflexes with Simon Smith, a Premiership goalkeeping coach, and I’ve been going to Pilates twice a week to work on my core strength and stability.

“At Pilates you exercise on a bed called a re-former, which is linked up to springs that offer counter tension. I’ve been doing stretching exercises around my stomach area to improve the inner strength of my torso and those muscle groups that will help me avoid back injuries.

“It’s a big thing with a lot of sportsmen nowadays because it really can help with back stability, but it has been four weeks of pretty hard work too.”

Jones, an England ever present this summer, has enjoyed seven straight Test wins, an incredible lift in team camaraderie and the win bonuses that go hand-in-hand with success. Indeed, Jones has yet to experience defeat in his eight Test starts to date.

“To win everything in sight in both Test series this summer was incredible,” added the 28-year-old Aussie-raised gloveman.

“Considering we didn’t do well in the one-dayers at the start of the summer I’ve been incredibly lucky to start my Test career at a time when the team are strong and that has made the transition from county cricket much easier.

“The environment is so good in the dressing room right now that everyone’s on a high and desperate to carry on the success. We do all get on well off the field and that goes a long way toward the spirit we’ve managed to achieve on the field.

“When Rob Key and Ian Bell came in and did so well everyone was genuinely pleased for them - that’s the nature of the camp at the moment. No matter who’s playing, everyone’s backing each other and wanting them to do well.”

PLAYER PROFILE

Name: Geraint Owen Jones

Born: July 14, 1976, Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea

Nickname: Jonesy

Education: Harris Town State School, Toowoomba, Queensland

Style: Right-hand middle-order bat, wicketkeeper and occasional medium-pace bowler

Test debut: v West Indies (4th Test, St John’s, Antigua, 2004)

ODI debut: v West Indies (The Oval, 2004)

Test record: Eight matches; 11 innings; 359 runs; highest score 100; average 35.9; one century; one half-century

ODI record: 12 matches; nine innings; 111 runs; highest score 38; average 18.5; 21 dismissals

First class record: 37 matches; 49 innings; 1,704 runs; highest score 108*; average 41.56; four centuries; 10 half-centuries; 101 catches; 10 stumpings