The ball was swinging that day, not wildly, but enough to make the batter think twice. At the top of her mark, Emma Wing Sum Jones took a breath, scanned the field, and began her approach. The delivery pitched just outside off, jagged away late, and kissed the edge on its way to the slips. It was classic new-ball bowling, measured, probing, and entirely deliberate. For Jones, moments like this aren’t flukes; they’re the product of craft, rhythm, and a deep understanding of her own game.

Born on August 7, 2002, Jones’ cricketing roots run through England’s increasingly professional women’s structure, but her story is coloured by the multicultural background her name hints at. Growing up, she balanced academic pursuits with long days at the nets, learning early that the game demanded more than natural ability; it required hours of repetition, the discipline to refine, and the resilience to adapt.

Her early steps into county cricket with Kent marked her as a bowler with something rare at her age: control. In the youth and development pathways, she wasn’t the type to blast out batters with sheer pace; instead, she relied on subtle movement and a repeatable action that coaches knew they could trust. That trust led to her being handed the new ball often, a responsibility she welcomed.

Her presence in The Hundred with Northern Superchargers has put her in the spotlight. Though still young in franchise terms, she has used the competition to learn from some of the best in the world, sharing dressing rooms with seasoned internationals and facing top-order batters who test every inch of her skill. In one standout Hundred performance, she took 2 for 16 in her set of 20 balls, using both swing and changes of pace to outthink opponents.

Jones’ value isn’t limited to her bowling. As a lower-order batter, she’s capable of frustrating attacks with stubborn resistance or quick runs in the final overs. While she hasn’t yet posted a career-defining batting innings, her ability to add useful runs, a quickfire 18 here, a gritty 12 not out there, makes her a more complete package for team balance.

Fielding is another part of her game that draws attention. Whether stationed at point, in the deep, or in the slips early in the innings, she brings sharp reflexes and a safe pair of hands. Coaches and captains alike know she’s not just a bowler who fields; she’s a fielder who can change a game with a catch or a boundary save.

One of her defining domestic moments came in an RHF Trophy clash when her side needed early breakthroughs to defend a low total. Taking the new ball, she removed both openers inside her first five overs, each dismissal a testament to her ability to stick to a plan and execute under pressure. Those wickets shifted the tone of the game, and her side went on to win by a slim margin.

Her rise through the ranks has come at a time when women’s cricket in England is both more competitive and more supportive than ever. The pathway from county to regional to franchise cricket is demanding, but it has also given her the platform to test herself against elite opposition regularly. Each season, her wicket tallies and economy rates suggest not just talent but improvement, the hallmark of a player intent on a long career.

Off the field, she is known for her calm, approachable nature, a teammate willing to pass on advice to younger bowlers and to put in extra fielding drills when others have packed up. That willingness to invest in the team’s collective standards is part of why she’s valued beyond her on-field output.

(As of September 2025)