After Simon Jones announced his retirement, we look back at his peak in 2005 Ashes series Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones, two pivotal members of England's Ashes-regaining 2005 side, have called time on their first class careers. Simon Jones celebrates bowling Michael Clarke with a reverse swing classic. IT'S easy to forget how good a bowler Simon Jones was. Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison were the bowlers who grabbed most of the headlines for England during the famous 2005 Ashes series, but Jones was never far behind, troubling Australia's all-star batting line-up with some incredible old-ball swing bowling. Before that series, the Welshman was probably best known in Australia for the horrific knee injury he suffered at the Gabba in 2002, in which an outfield slide gone horribly wrong saw him sidelined for the best part of a year. Others would have wilted, but Jones was made of stern stuff and returned to haunt the Aussies during the memorable 2005 series. He provided a glimpse of what was to come when he picked up three wickets in the first Test at Lord's and another three during the thriller at Edbgaston, but it was the third Test at Old Trafford that will live longest in the memory. Australia's top order had displayed collective vulnerability against quality reverse swing, and none mastered the art better - or later - than Jones. Watch the video at the top of the page to relive some 2005 Jones magic. Bowling at express pace, Jones' ability to produce violent, late swing with the old ball proved a telling factor in the series and exposed the first weaknesses in what had been, to that point, an Australian batting juggernaut. Jones collected an astonishing 6-53 in Australia's first innings, his best figures in Tests, including the prize scalps of Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Michael Clarke. The hosts were ultimately thwarted in their pursuit of victory as Ponting, Shane Warne and Brett Lee salvaged a draw for Australia, but not before a late surge from Jones. With the result on the line, the paceman made Michael Clarke look like an amateur with a delivery most swing bowlers can only dream of. It started well outside off, but swung in late and crashed into off stump, sending it cartwheeling. The future Australian captain could only look on in dismay - he was so confident the ball was missing the stumps, he hadn't even tried to hit it. That was the series high-point for Jones, although he did pick up a few more wickets in the fourth Test. Another injury saw him miss the match in which England secured the Ashes for the first time in almost two decades, a cruel twist of fate that just about summed up his career. A bowler with so much skill and raw ability, Jones ended up playing just 18 Tests and picking up 59 wickets at 28.23. Statistics can only tell you part of the story, though. Those that saw Jones in his peak know they witnessed a world-class bowler plying his trade in the greatest cricket cauldron imaginable. The fact he only retired from first-class cricket this week, despite years of injury battles and bad luck, shows he had the fighting spirit required to play at the very top level. Cricket fans can only wonder what might have been - or they could focus on how great it was while it lasted.