Cricket: Harrowing details of Dean Jones' final moments revealed

Dean Jones in 1994. Photo / Photosport

Details of former Australian bowler Brett Lee's heroic attempt to save Dean Jones have surfaced following the cricket legend's sudden death.

The sporting world was rocked when Jones suddenly died of a suspected heart attack aged 59 in a Mumbai hotel while working in India for the IPL.

Speaking to NewsCorp, Australian broadcaster Alan Jones revealed how Lee performed CPR on Jones and had revived the Victorian twice before his death.

"When (Lee) rang and told me, 'Dean is dead', he was crying. It was just terrible stuff," Jones told News Corp.

"Dean had obviously collapsed and Brett was about 20 yards away … according to Brett's story to me, he gave him mouth to mouth. He had no pulse. Brett got the pulse back and he got colour back.

"Brett said to me, 'I got colour in him.'

"Someone else, I don't know quite whom, called the ambulance and then when Brett looked again, Deano was gone. So Brett gave him mouth to mouth again and got life back to him. And colour. And he found a pulse.

"By which stage the ambulance had arrived and the ambulance then took him. Of course Brett was the only contact as I understand it, and then they've rung Brett to say, 'He's dead.'

"Brett had kept him alive. It was really gutsy stuff."

It comes as Jones' daughter Phoebe shared a sweet tribute to her father and thanked Brett Lee for his attempts in a social media post.

"We are broken," she wrote. "Our family is eternally grateful to @brettlee_58 for doing everything he could. #DeanosDugout".

She went on to thank the cricket community for the outpouring of grief and tributes for the cricket legend.

"We are overwhelmed with your outpouring of kind words, support and tributes. His legacy will live on in every life he touched. I just keep staring at my phone waiting for him to call and tell me this is just a bad dream."

Jones was taken to the Reliance Hospital in Mumbai, but was unable to be revived. Lee also reportedly broke the news to Jones' wife.

Lee fronted Indian television just hours after the incident, describing Jones as an "absolute legend".

"I think the thing we want to say about Deano is he would have wanted us to be here tonight," Lee said.

"It's pretty much the 'Select Deano' we call it. It's Deano's dugout tonight.

"He is an absolute legend. Firstly to his family and friends we send our condolences. It's a real tough day for everyone, not only for his close mates … and the whole cricketing world in general.

"What Deano would've wanted is for us to come out here in the dugout, get it done, have some fun for the game we all love."

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews paid his respects to Jones at his Covid-19 press conference on Friday.

"I think every Victorian is saddened to see such a great Victorian lost to us so young. Dean Jones was not just a great cricketer, but a great person," Andrews said.

"I had opportunities to meet with him and I always found him to be an absolutely fantastic Victorian and I want to extend on behalf of all Victorians our condolences and best wishes, our love and support to all of Dean Jones' family and of course to all of his many, many fans.

"A great Victorian has been lost to us and we all mourn that loss."