The 58-year-old had been thinking about stepping back for about two years so he could spend more time with his "understanding" young family.
But it was with a lump in his throat he finally delivered the news in a subdued and sombre dressing room at Molyneux Park on Sunday.
Otago Country beat North Otago to claim the prized trophy only to lose it at the first challenge. A talented Marlborough side won by an innings and 171 runs. That hurt, but so did Jones' decision.
For some, Jones has been like a kind of father figure - watching over and nurturing their careers since they were children running around on the sidelines of Molyneux Park.
That made the decision to move on all that harder. The team had become like family.
"It is not something I've done lightly," he said.
"It was a terrible time ... and things were pretty quiet in the dressing room when I announced it. I took a few moments at odd times to ..." he said, trailing off.
"I've been involved with the Hawke Cup team for 30 years and I've just had so many great times. Every season there would be a couple of news guys in the team and this season was pretty special. We've had a team together which we've been building on for four or five years to get to this stage," he said.
"But you end up spending a lot of time away from home. It has always been that way but now that Hayden is 7 and playing tee-ball and Shannan is 4 and a handful, it just puts so much more pressure on Nic [Jones' partner of 20 years].
"Nic is stuck at home and she organises her work around my scoring and all of my cricket commitments."
Jones, who has two adult children from a previous relationship, said when he delivered the news he was sitting next to Rusty Nevill, whose father Geoff Nevill was responsible for talking him in to filling in as a scorer all those years ago.
"Geoff got me into it and to end my association with the Hawke Cup team with his son sitting next to me was just one of those moments. I couldn't look him in the face. It was a real emotional time."
Jones has been the Otago scorer since 1986 and in that time has amassed some impressive statistics. He has scored seven tests and waited on the sidelines of Carisbrook while two further tests were abandoned. He has scored 126 first-class games, 143 list A games, including 24 one-day internationals.
And two years ago Jones was one of 1000 people world-wide, and just 50 New Zealanders, to be presented with a medal from the ICC, acknowledging their contributions to the game.
He moved with his family from Central Otago to Mosgiel in 1999 but despite the distance, remained involved with the Otago Country Hawke Cup team. He took over as manager in 1998 and has been a selector since the late '90s.
While he has retired from those roles, he will remain involved in Otago Country.
"I will continue in my role as chairman of the Otago Country Cricket Association and as Otago scorer. And I'll obviously be keeping a close eye on the Country Hawke Cup team."
