Jeff Thomson - Interesting Facts, Trivia, And Records About 'Thommo'

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Jeffrey Robert Thomson, who celebrates his birthday on 16th August, is one of the fastest bowlers ever to play cricket. Thomson paired up with Dennis Lillee to form a deadly fast bowling duo that terrified even the best of the batters at that time. 

Let's take a look at some interesting facts, trivia, and records about Jeff Thomson: 

1) One of the fascinating aspects about Jeff Thomson was his bowling action, which was like a sling-shot. Although he learned this from his father, it was mainly attributed to his training as a javelin thrower in his early days. 

2) Thomson used to play both cricket and soccer. He once punched a referee because he got annoyed at him for some of the decisions during the game. Thomson was banned after this incident. 

3) Jeff Thomson used to work in Commonwealth Bank. One Friday afternoon, he encountered a bunch of Robbers with guns. However, unlike the fellow managers, Thomson handled them calmly and handed them over to the police. 

4) During the World Cup 1975 match against Sri Lanka, Jeff Thomson launched an all-body attack on two batters - Sunil Wettimuny and Duleep Mendis - as they started a counterattack against the Australian bowlers. Thomson hit them on ribcages and boots, and both the batters had to be hospitalized. The next day, a policeman even went to Mendis' room asking him if he wanted to press charges against Jeff Thomson. 

5) Thommo retired in 1986 and worked as the bowling coach with Queensland. Carl Rackemann, Craig McDermott, and Allan Border wanted Thomson to make his first-class comeback since he was still faster than any of the Queensland bowlers. However, the selectors refused to give up their youth policy, and Thomson couldn't make his comeback. 

6) Before a test match against England, Thomson said in a TV interview that he liked hitting the batters more than getting them out, and he likes to see blood on the pitch. A few days later, Thomson picked up 5/93, during which he injured several English batters. 

7) In his first test against Pakistan, Jeff Thomson bowled waywardly and returned with figures of 0/110. However, it was later found that Thomson bowled with a broken foot without informing the selectors. 

8) Jeff Thomson was and still is regarded as the fastest bowler. In 1975, using high-speed cameras, Thomson was recorded clocking deliveries over 160 kmph on two occasions. 

9) Greg Chappell once refused to face Jeff Thomson since he found him very fast. Even the great Viv Richards rates him the fastest. Rodney Marsh, Australia's then wicket-keeper, claims Thomson used to bowl at a speed of 180 kmph. 

10) Jeff Thomson played 51 test matches for Australia in which he picked 100 wickets. In 187 first-class matches, Thomson recorded 675 wickets while he claimed 107 dismissals in 88 List-A games.