Jeff Thomson's unique action and outrageous pace made him arguably the most fearsome fast bowler in history, securing him a spot in Australian cricket's Hall of Fame
I'm really honoured to meet him once in Bashundhara Shopping Complex, Dhaka, Bangladesh during Australia’s first ever official tour in Bangladesh probably 2003-2004 session. He was very humble when i saw him waiting for the lift as i asked him "Sir, you must be Jeff Thomson". He was simply surprised that as a 19 years old boy from Bangladesh recognised him and replied with very soft voice " Yes, I'm" and did hand shake with me. I'm never gonna forget this memory lifetime.
@@jahno7154 It was probably doing the rounds long before the 1940s. As long as there have been fast bowlers, players have been uncomfortable facing them.
I will never forget the 1974-75 Ashes 2nd test at Perth. A 13 year old Australian girl fell in love with cricket. My brother was at the first test in Brisbane. Fantastic series. Ian Redpath and Doug Walters my heroes as well.
Without watching these legendary bowlers, knowledgeless people start comparing today's batsmen with batsmen of 70s, 80s, 90s. Some have already declared today's batsmen as best batsmen ever. Sunil Gavaskar, Sur Vivian Rechards played against these legendary bowlers on bowler friendly wickets. Hats off to them.
Even when Viv Richard's walking off the ground being bowled he still has that swagger still looks regal and Thomo never over celebrates like the morons today respect to Thomo!
Mate, I couldn't agree more. How about the bullshit that goes on when some blokes get a hundred nowadays?. You would think that they just found the cure for cancer the way some of them carry on.
That is astonishingly quick. He is probably the fastest bowler of all time and that bowling action is just unbelievable. Hard to understand why his action wasn't copied by any bowler.
@@pacus123 Really?. What you know about cricket would fit on the back of a postage stamp. Ask Viv Richards how quick he was. He was clocked at 100 mph, and could do it consistently. 145kph my arse. Next time you feel like making a stupid comment, try doing some research first, so that you don't look like a goose.
Barry Richards was the finest batsman to ever not be allowed to play because of his birthplace and it’s political issues, he was phenomenal. A true great.
The sling is but Malinga delivered more chest-on so the release was lower - and slower as the arm describes a shorter arc. Thomson and Tait were more side-on, so could build greater momentum in the delivery swing. Thomson in particular started his below the knee, must have been murder on the back and shoulder but the result was lightning speed.
He is Larry Gomes. Right-arm finger spinner and left-handed middle-order batsman. Another one to go with Sir Viv and Alvin Kalicharan to have never worn a helmet.
Michael Holding has seen as many fast bowlers as anyone else who ever lived (and of course was a tremendous quick bowler himself) he said about Thommo, "Ïf Brett Lee or Shoaib Aktar bowl 100 miles per hour then Thommo bowled 110." He really did look 10% quicker than anyone else.
@Usman Ahmed The thing about Thomson is he wrecked his shoulder early in his career after an on field collision with a team mate in the mid 70's and he was never the same afterwards and he played into the mid-80's. If you see footage of him you need to know when the footage was taken. People remember him, and judge him, on what he was like prior to that injury. He was terrifying to watch, he made good batsmen look like tailenders. They just threw the bat at the ball trying to get away from him.
Okay i am in love with this bowler because unlike other australian bowlers he is calm . I mean his celebration of wicket is even normal, while most fast bowlers are mostly sledging and over reacting but this guy is pretty cool . Respect man respect.
Legends says that although west Indies had the scariest attack but jeff thompson was hardest to face... His pace was more than 100 mph sometimes... Great sling arm action...
@@deepakjena3628 his action says it all Shoaib had almost same action but what Thomson had more than him was a brace front with a knee dominant side arm slinger it's the most toughest thing to do but he was the only was yeah he must be around 162 163
1:57 - Greg Chappell: "Probably the most efficient bowling action that I've ever seen. But - very few people could use that action, because if you weren't as strong and flexible as Thommo, you couldn't do it for long..." Right on!
I used to imitate his bowling style as a kid, I'm sure many others did too, it was so much fun and I actually believed I was bowling faster than usual. A fantastic bowler and a great character.
Remove helmet and face Akhtar. Thommo was bowling to without helmet batsmen and that too on fast pitches. Akhtar was bowling on dead pitches and fully loaded batsmen like travelling to moon. And still he able to hurt Lara and Tendulker badly. By the way, Akhtar was the fastest in the history. No doubt.
I remember watching a Sheffield Shield match on TV where Thommo was bowling to Alan Turner - you couldn't see the ball. He was bowling so fast that Turner was laughing in nervous disbelief because the ball was past him before he could get in proper position to play a shot. I also remember reading somewhere where Viv Richards mentioned a phenomenally fast spell Thommo bowled on a Carribean tour.
That Carribbean tour you mention was in 1978 where Colin Croft is on record saying Thommo's spell in the Bridgetown , Barbados test was the fastest He'd ever seen..
Was at the WACA mid(?)-70s as a teen. At the end of the Test Match in the early afternoon (Aus winning), all us youth hopped the fence and ran towards the pitch. One middle-aged groundsman valiantly attempted to keep every one back while they put metal stakes in the ground to rope-off the pitch. Everyone complied and stood on the grass without actually intruding except for a few who deliberately ran across it. I well remember the bowler's footmark on the Causeway (western) end. From memory, Thompson had been bowling from that end and having some trouble with it near the end of play, using sawdust to fill it in. It seemed 30 cm wide and 7 cm deep at the center (but obviously I did not have a measure). Everyone gasped how wide and deep it appeared. From the boundary, the difference I remember between Thompson's bowling and Lillee was that Thompson's deliveries visually appeared to accelerate upon hitting the pitch, and were therefore harder to keep your eye on. (Obviously, they don't do that, but that was the impression.) When Marsh gloved them at his chin height they always made a distinct 'clap' in the gloves.
A ferocious and ruthless fastest bowler. Batsmen are totally clueless, didn't even know where the ball was going. Renowned batsmen like Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards, just couldn't face his balls. Jeff Thomson action was also clean and beautiful to watch. Every ball cane at batsmen like bullets. Cricket was great, clean, and really a marvelous game at that time.
Richards got the better of him on the whole but yes, Thommo had his moments. The English series of 1974 is pretty storied. I only rank Holding and Akhtar as faster.
@@joncumber2020 Neither Aktar or Holding was as quick. I watched Thommo a number of times in the 70's and no one was in that league. Also saw Clive Lloyd make a very brave 100 against him and Lillee in the 1970's on a bouncy WACA pitch when they bowled like lightning.
Thomson himself had no idea where the ball was going either, he was just whanging them down as fast as he could. Lillee was the better bowler - not quite as quick but a lot more control.
I saw him in the opening match of the Sheffield shield in 1974 and he hit the sightscreen on the full after bowling short of a length delivery,unbelievably fast.When I 1st saw him Ihe looked like he would be bowling medium pace ,did I get a shock .The 1st 4 and a half tests of that 74 75 ashes series was the fastest bowling I have ever seen and He was clocked at 159 but he was faster in those 4 tests before the shoulder injury.That comment from Kim Hughes about the best way of playing Thompson from the the non strikers end classic and so true.
@@anirudhsuresh4481 He was at his fastest before he hurt his shoulder playing tennis in the 5th test playing against England and he was real fast.Fasting bowling I have seen I never said he was clocked during that series I said he was clocked 159 once but that was not during the ashes series where he was frighteningly fast, I sat side on to the wicket and you could not see him through the air just heard the ball hit Marsh,s gloves.
My dad would often say that it was the pair of Thomson and lillee that lifted Australia out of the doldrums of cricket ...he said that those two men would bowl continuously all day long and their pace never let up not even slightly
I'm 57 was a kid when thommo lilie were about n obviously i haven't ever forgotten jeff those were great days Australian cricket and even the odd streaker .wish they'd put a few of those games back on Australia /Poms Australia /Windies etc. WELL done jeff n thankyou 👍
When the great West Indian sides of the 70s and 80s, not to mention Barry Richards, say you were the scariest, most dangerous they can remember, that's good enough. Amazing action.
Jef Thompson is legend to end all legends he holes the record as the fastest ever bowler in history of cricket his speed to this day he still holds the record for the fastest dilevery every and rightly so part of his hobby was to jump of the ute or four wheel drive and run after a wide Boer and actually catch it and string the Boer up know in our mids with a mighty man of extreme lighting speed like thouder boult he was unique and in the past and until today he his one heck of man fit and very healthy goes down in record as greatest fastest bowler in history what a legend
This is the probably the first time I've heard anyone acknowledge the key elements of Thomson's effectiveness. His action was founded on flexibility. This allowed him to start the delivery motion of the ball, from further down and further back, than a conventional bowling action. His arm had slightly more distance and time to accelerate. So, for the given degree of force his body puts into the swing of his arm, his hand was travelling faster by the time of release. Not depending as heavily on the speed of his run-up to contribute to his bowling speed, meant that he was putting a greater proportion of his energy into the actual delivery action. I think it's a fascinating and beautiful action.
A large part of what made Thommo so good [and helped Lillee as well] was the fielding. If a batsman gave a half chance it was probably taken 90% of the time. Another part was the aggressive attitude of his first two International captains... 3 slips, gully, cover-point, mid-off, mid-on, short-square-leg, & fine-leg was the standard field for an opening bowler, if you wanted a leg slip take the third slip away and push the square leg a little forward... Chappell I. often started with 5 slips, gully, extra-cover, short-forward-square-leg & leg-slip. Chappell G. has been known to start with 7 slips & 2 gullies.
yep G C was a terrific captain but too be fair, the fielding is way better now. That all started with Captain Cranky and his guts and determination shows in todays cricket. AB is to good fielding as bacon is to eggs. the cocky bastard stood tall against the WI when all were falling around them. Never forget ABs contribution
Yeah - Jeff Thomson was lightning fast & yet accurate. How quick Thommo was - That in this VDO Clip (0.13 - 0.22) , wherein Viv Richards getting clean bowled by a delivery which banged his ''Off Stamp'' splits second before his flashing bat could meet the ball . He would easily go down as one of the fastest & fearsome ''Fast Bowler'' in the "Test Cricket History" !
@@realaussiemale567 Ahhh yes those were the best days of cricket for me ...full of characters and teams that had true champion lineups from top to bottom..
All this footage is from after his shoulder injury. He was a fair bit faster before that point. I remember it well, just after lunch, 1st day, 1st Test Aus V Pakistan, late 1976, he collided with Alan Turner when Zaheer skied an attempted pull shot and they both went for it. He was never quite the same again.
I am an Aussie, and I think Thommo was a great and fearsome fast bowler that we still admire today. Yet when the West Indians took Australia's lead a couple of years later and did the same thing with 4 fearsome fast bowlers all the major cricketing bodies that had people with white skin hollered that intimidatory bowling was not fair and not good for the game. Food for thought.
This film doesn't do him justice. I saw him bowl at his prime for QLD and Australia in 1975 and 1976. He was brutally fast, strong and just overwhelmed batsmen with pace and power. He moved from NSW to QLD because Greg Chappell said he didn't ever want to play against him again.Chappell said he could have been an Olympic decathlete, had the best throwing arm he's seen and could pick up both feet and put them behind his head. I was at the Gabba late one afternoon in fading light and he took 4/10 against Vics and turned that into 6/18 next morning.It is true that on a couple of the smaller Sydney grounds his bumpers cleared the boundary behind the keeper. Judging a bowler's speed with just a cricket eye is hard. The quickest I've seen are Lillee (pre broken back), Thommo, Marshall, Roberts, Holding, Hogg, Ambrose, Akhtar, Lee, Waqar, Donald, Malinga and Tate.
I think Lenny Pascoe said it best. Guys like Akhtar and Tait may have bowled a faster delivery, but Thommo was consistently in the high 150's. Plus he scared the bejeezus out of batsmen. All bowlers have strategies, some quite simple, others a little more intricate. They're largely dependent on the pitch, the batsmen and the current state of play. Thommo's was basically one word: fast.
I have watched Test cricket for sixty years. Thomson was at least a yard faster than anyone I have seen. 100 mph? Some balls were slower than that, but some were faster. Nothing like him since, in my opinion.
Doubtless, but my eyesight is still fairly good. I watched these gentlemen bowl. Akhtar was as fast as Lillee in his prime. Thomson was a yard faster than both of them. Best wishes.
Peter, the batsmen played differently. They were not armoured or helmeted. They ducked, weaved or got out of the way. I saw many batsmen playing shots when the wicketkeeper had caught the ball.
People forget he was a brilliant fielder (and athlete). His catch to dismiss Derek Murray off Max Walker in the outfield in the 3rd test in the 75/76 series was the best catch I'd ever seen
Players with unconventional style has always had a merry time in cricket.... Jeff, Malinga and now Bumrah...ohh and who would want to forget steven Smith
Thomson is able to bowl quick because of his action...at that time westindies bowlers have wide open chest high arm action which got them extra pace ...now the bowlers have side way action for that they don't get bounce as well as pace ..
When World Series Cricket was a new thing, high profile players would be sent to schools and other public places to promote the whole circus. I loved to play, and was just getting into following the game more closely on tele. Prior to the Brisbane test in late '78, a couple of players came to my primary school, on Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland, Australia. On a stinking hot day, about 300 boys, 9 to 12 old, lined up at out 2 cricket nets, to bowl at, and then face the deliveries of these two guys. Then we lined up to get their autographs, on WSC promo cards we were given, with all the season's fixtures. I didn't know the 2 men, but later found out I had met Issac Vivian Alexander Richards, and Jeffery Robert Thomson. 😮 🤩 For years I treasured that signed and gradually battered cricket card. About 11 yrs later, my mother - in a deluded fog of clearing out the past - collected it and many other family items, and threw it in the rubbish. 🤦🏼♂️😒
The Windies first taste of Thommo,Lawrence Rowe,WI opener walking back to the pavillion after Thommo dismissed him,walks Past Viv Richards,Viv says"is he really as fast as they say?"Rowe replies laughing,"you'll find out".
from his action he looks slow & differs from other bowlers, fast palm jerk at end releasing ball very fast n quickest from others, action is amazing not common copy book style like majority others. his natural personal action, my fav. wish u merry Xmas n happy year 2017.😁
seriously did he really bowl at 100 miles ? which delivery ? one question , how come ICC managed to check the speed of Jeff back then how come ICC did check the speed of WAQAR YOUNIS, and many West Indian bowlers ? Waqar at times looked even more faster than even Shoaib but nobody talks about that
hibernatorrr - There was a series of speed competitions way back in the 70's and Thomo was officially timed at 99.9 miles per hour (it was not even a match set-up, mind you!). In the same competition Imran was timed at 87mph, Andy Roberts at 97 mph and michael holding at something like 90mph. That is to answer the first part of your question... Yes, there is a possibility that Waqar might have bowled faster at times (due to a similar slingy action)...but, it will only remain speculative as it was not officially timed
In 1976 series Thomson bowled 99.99 mph, Holding 98.6 mph, Roberts 98.4 mph, Gary Gilmour 97.6 and Dennis Lillee 97.2 mph, Keith Boyce 86 mph. I may be wrong in decimals . But Thomson must be much more when he was young in 1974 against england. We donot knowanything about English Fast bowlers Willis, Mike Hendriks, Peter lever, Chris old , John Snow . They must be also vey fast esp Willis.
Isn't it pretty easy to calculate speed u know the yards if u can record time more or less u get an approximation! If not 100mph bowling near about that .
@@NishitShukla those videos are from the 1980's. Thommo was much faster in the mid 70's, plus he was ruined on only a few occasions. So, if he had been timed daily like bowlers are now he would've been timed at well over 100mph on his fastest days.
Those who said he was not fast,he debuted against Pakistan in 1972/73 ,he bowled against Pakistan with broken bone and he even didn't inform to Cricket Australia in that match(go check its fact) ,and he was out for this inccident
The odi clippings were from the early 80s'....so he had declined in pace slightly at that time... Couple of test match dismissals were VERY QUICK... check the clippings of mid 70s'... he was very very quick consistently for long spells...
You people saying he wasn't the fastest bowler to play well here's news for you.....thommo bowled a bouncer which hit a batsman on the helmet and ricocheted for six. Now I'll stand stuffed if anyone else in history has bowled so fast that that has happened to them.
Aiden Boucher My Uncle played shield cricket for NSW against Thommo, before Thommo played for Australia. My uncle was 6’5” Thommo bounced him 6 balls in a row at ear height and they were still rising. And that was before helmets came out, so u can appreciate how scary he was. That’s what young fellas these days forget, back before all the protective padding & helmets came along a batsman only had his experience to save him. ✌🏻
I'm really honoured to meet him once in Bashundhara Shopping Complex, Dhaka, Bangladesh during Australia’s first ever official tour in Bangladesh probably 2003-2004 session. He was very humble when i saw him waiting for the lift as i asked him "Sir, you must be Jeff Thomson". He was simply surprised that as a 19 years old boy from Bangladesh recognised him and replied with very soft voice " Yes, I'm" and did hand shake with me. I'm never gonna forget this memory lifetime.
But i think Australia came to Bangladesh in 2006🤔🤔🤔
Acha acha achaaa
What an honour. I"m Australian and haven't met him
Sune khub valo laglo
Nice.
Kim Hughes was once asked 'what was the best way to play Thommo'. His answer, 'at the other end'!
That joke has been used since the 1940s.. Len Hutton and Geoffrey Boycott have used that phrase.
😆
@@jahno7154 for Fred trueman
@@GOODBOY-gw2tt Oh yes definitely when facing Fiery Fred.
@@jahno7154 It was probably doing the rounds long before the 1940s. As long as there have been fast bowlers, players have been uncomfortable facing them.
I will never forget the 1974-75 Ashes 2nd test at Perth. A 13 year old Australian girl fell in love with cricket. My brother was at the first test in Brisbane. Fantastic series. Ian Redpath and Doug Walters my heroes as well.
Jeff "Deadly" Thomson - The leader of the fastest bowler pack the world has ever seen.
Windies ones were quicker imo
@@danieloliver4558 Which one was quicker and prove it.....
@@teclarns Roberts definitely was
@@danieloliver4558 Holding was also greased lightning.
01:34 This is what i am looking for the PURE sound of wickets JUSTTTTTT AWESOMEEE
Without watching these legendary bowlers, knowledgeless people start comparing today's batsmen with batsmen of 70s, 80s, 90s. Some have already declared today's batsmen as best batsmen ever. Sunil Gavaskar, Sur Vivian Rechards played against these legendary bowlers on bowler friendly wickets. Hats off to them.
Oh see everýoñe
Appreciates this greàt màñ.Thèŕe
Ìs none above him till now.
Sachin Ponting Lara Qallis were last of greats , anybody after this era is just playing softball😅
Up until the early 1980s, there were uncovered pitches, so players had to learn how to play on a variety of surfaces, depending on the weather.
Even when Viv Richard's walking off the ground being bowled he still has that swagger still looks regal and Thomo never over celebrates like the morons today respect to Thomo!
Mate, I couldn't agree more. How about the bullshit that goes on when some blokes get a hundred nowadays?. You would think that they just found the cure for cancer the way some of them carry on.
Totally agree...
The bowlers celebrate more today only because there's nothing left in this game for the fast bowlers......and I feel it's justified.
Celebrating is an individual's choice
@@darrenjpeters 😀👍🏻
That is astonishingly quick. He is probably the fastest bowler of all time and that bowling action is just unbelievable. Hard to understand why his action wasn't copied by any bowler.
I believe its because how hard it is on the shoulder.
As a young boy it was by me, problem was my friends didn't like cricket, had to imagine I had clean bowled someone in the style of Jeff Thompson
No he's not. Sigh, people are blind. You wanna watch quick? Watch Tait and Ahktar. They're quick. Thompson was probably bowling 145kph tops.
@@pacus123 Lol. Thomo is the fastest bowler of all time. He bowled 155+kph consistantly. Search him up.
@@pacus123 Really?. What you know about cricket would fit on the back of a postage stamp. Ask Viv Richards how quick he was. He was clocked at 100 mph, and could do it consistently. 145kph my arse. Next time you feel like making a stupid comment, try doing some research first, so that you don't look like a goose.
"Absolutely frightening" according to the greatest batsman I ever saw play, Barry Richards - 'nuff sed.
Barry Richards was the finest batsman to ever not be allowed to play because of his birthplace and it’s political issues, he was phenomenal. A true great.
Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
If Lillie doesn't get you
Then Thommo must
Holden308 .. caught marsh bowled Lillee.. a song on them was composed..
@@DineshKumar-zs3xh "bowled Lillee caught marsh pass the bear nuts " this was the song
Great
Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
If waqar doesn't get you
Then wasim must
Wasn't it phrased the other way around? 😂
My favourite childhood hero when it came to bowling. Unique action and damn quick.
He is a chukker.i see his bowling and I think he is a chukker.
@@anirbanchakraborty9144 Are you high on weed🤣🤣🤣. You don't even know the spelling of "chuck" and questioning his calliber😆 WOW
Lasith Malinga's initial action of holding the ball and running in barring the kiss is inspired by Thommo!
Lasith Malinga's is inspired by Old Sri Lankan Bowler Rumesh Ratnayake
@@vashistabhatkainthaje639 man respect to Sri lankan cricket but NO, not even close
The sling is but Malinga delivered more chest-on so the release was lower - and slower as the arm describes a shorter arc. Thomson and Tait were more side-on, so could build greater momentum in the delivery swing. Thomson in particular started his below the knee, must have been murder on the back and shoulder but the result was lightning speed.
Action wise Malinga was similar to Thomson, but his aim was to swing the ball like Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. He said so himself.
2:54 You gotta admire the courage of the batsman
He is Larry Gomes. Right-arm finger spinner and left-handed middle-order batsman. Another one to go with Sir Viv and Alvin Kalicharan to have never worn a helmet.
1:39 reaction is like, "Really! You tried to slog me for six."
Michael Holding has seen as many fast bowlers as anyone else who ever lived (and of course was a tremendous quick bowler himself) he said about Thommo, "Ïf Brett Lee or Shoaib Aktar bowl 100 miles per hour then Thommo bowled 110." He really did look 10% quicker than anyone else.
@Usman Ahmed The thing about Thomson is he wrecked his shoulder early in his career after an on field collision with a team mate in the mid 70's and he was never the same afterwards and he played into the mid-80's. If you see footage of him you need to know when the footage was taken. People remember him, and judge him, on what he was like prior to that injury. He was terrifying to watch, he made good batsmen look like tailenders. They just threw the bat at the ball trying to get away from him.
Okay i am in love with this bowler because unlike other australian bowlers he is calm . I mean his celebration of wicket is even normal, while most fast bowlers are mostly sledging and over reacting but this guy is pretty cool . Respect man respect.
Legends says that although west Indies had the scariest attack but jeff thompson was hardest to face... His pace was more than 100 mph sometimes... Great sling arm action...
😂😂 no it wasn't, he was never measured over 100mph
Never maximum up to 152,/153 that's all
@@deepakjena3628 his action says it all Shoaib had almost same action but what Thomson had more than him was a brace front with a knee dominant side arm slinger it's the most toughest thing to do but he was the only was yeah he must be around 162 163
@@chiefslim9353 He was measured at 160.45 km/h and 160.58 km/h on two separate occasions before his shoulder injury.
@@yadukrishnanvs7283 which isn't over 100mph.
1:57 - Greg Chappell: "Probably the most efficient bowling action that I've ever seen. But - very few people could use that action, because if you weren't as strong and flexible as Thommo, you couldn't do it for long..." Right on!
I used to imitate his bowling style as a kid, I'm sure many others did too, it was so much fun and I actually believed I was bowling faster than usual.
A fantastic bowler and a great character.
He looks like the Ultimate Warrior.
Remove helmet and face Akhtar. Thommo was bowling to without helmet batsmen and that too on fast pitches. Akhtar was bowling on dead pitches and fully loaded batsmen like travelling to moon. And still he able to hurt Lara and Tendulker badly. By the way, Akhtar was the fastest in the history. No doubt.
Usman Alvi-Awan well the difference is thommo is still alive after being inducted in to the hall of fame
what do you base that assessment on?
Wwe
@@synhope3746 Akhtar took banned performance enhancing substances and still wasn't as quick as Thompson. Shoaib was a joke.
I remember watching a Sheffield Shield match on TV where Thommo was bowling to Alan Turner - you couldn't see the ball. He was bowling so fast that Turner was laughing in nervous disbelief because the ball was past him before he could get in proper position to play a shot. I also remember reading somewhere where Viv Richards mentioned a phenomenally fast spell Thommo bowled on a Carribean tour.
That Carribbean tour you mention was in 1978 where Colin Croft is on record saying Thommo's spell in the Bridgetown , Barbados test was the fastest He'd ever seen..
Yes, saw him bowl in Sydney seated in the "bob" stand, broad side to the strip; impossible to see the ball through the air.
World never saw like Thompson another bowler
Was at the WACA mid(?)-70s as a teen. At the end of the Test Match in the early afternoon (Aus winning), all us youth hopped the fence and ran towards the pitch. One middle-aged groundsman valiantly attempted to keep every one back while they put metal stakes in the ground to rope-off the pitch. Everyone complied and stood on the grass without actually intruding except for a few who deliberately ran across it. I well remember the bowler's footmark on the Causeway (western) end. From memory, Thompson had been bowling from that end and having some trouble with it near the end of play, using sawdust to fill it in. It seemed 30 cm wide and 7 cm deep at the center (but obviously I did not have a measure). Everyone gasped how wide and deep it appeared.
From the boundary, the difference I remember between Thompson's bowling and Lillee was that Thompson's deliveries visually appeared to accelerate upon hitting the pitch, and were therefore harder to keep your eye on. (Obviously, they don't do that, but that was the impression.) When Marsh gloved them at his chin height they always made a distinct 'clap' in the gloves.
No p in Thomson's name.
So glad I grew up in Brisbane. I saw Thomo bowl many times for Queensland and Australia.
Great days!
wasnt he from NSW?
@@albertkelly7129 Born and raised in Sydney. I think he played for NSW a couple of times, but headed north to Brisbane.
@@englishciderlover7347 cheers
That Beautiful Bowling Action 💕
I've seen Jeff Thomson play during the 80's...
Even from the front row we couldn't see his balls He was so quick...!
A ferocious and ruthless fastest bowler. Batsmen are totally clueless, didn't even know where the ball was going. Renowned batsmen like Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards, just couldn't face his balls. Jeff Thomson action was also clean and beautiful to watch. Every ball cane at batsmen like bullets. Cricket was great, clean, and really a marvelous game at that time.
Richards got the better of him on the whole but yes, Thommo had his moments. The English series of 1974 is pretty storied. I only rank Holding and Akhtar as faster.
@@joncumber2020 Neither Aktar or Holding was as quick. I watched Thommo a number of times in the 70's and no one was in that league. Also saw Clive Lloyd make a very brave 100 against him and Lillee in the 1970's on a bouncy WACA pitch when they bowled like lightning.
Thomson himself had no idea where the ball was going either, he was just whanging them down as fast as he could. Lillee was the better bowler - not quite as quick but a lot more control.
no aggressive behavior celebrating actions like todays bowlers , he just concentrated on his just pace bowling and rahul dravid's fav bowler
Do u remember. Thompson was the one who said he wanted to see blood on the pitch. He used to enjoy getting people hurt rather than getting them out.
@@irombinod2833 that's just him playing up to the media mate. Most Aussie men of that era like to stir it up a bit.
My wife hurls missiles at me faster than Thommo from the Kitchen..
Why was Thommo in your kitchen?
@@jasonwilson2763 Thommo was with his wife obviously
If the great Barry Richards says Thomo was frightening then he was.
Respect tht guy at the last whose facing Jeff Thompson without a helmet 😎
Yes that would be Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards...
I saw him in the opening match of the Sheffield shield in 1974 and he hit the sightscreen on the full after bowling short of a length delivery,unbelievably fast.When I 1st saw him Ihe looked like he would be bowling medium pace ,did I get a shock .The 1st 4 and a half tests of that 74 75 ashes series was the fastest bowling I have ever seen and He was clocked at 159 but he was faster in those 4 tests before the shoulder injury.That comment from Kim Hughes about the best way of playing Thompson from the the non strikers end classic and so true.
I've heard about that delivery. Michael holding was facing him
It was more than once he did that at the WACA quite often he did it and most of the Aussie grounds
Tomson wasn't timed in 74/75 ashes he was timed vs West indies @ 160.45kph,159.49kph in 75 when he was not his his quickest and 160.58kph in 76
@@anirudhsuresh4481 He was at his fastest before he hurt his shoulder playing tennis in the 5th test playing against England and he was real fast.Fasting bowling I have seen I never said he was clocked during that series I said he was clocked 159 once but that was not during the ashes series where he was frighteningly fast, I sat side on to the wicket and you could not see him through the air just heard the ball hit Marsh,s gloves.
@@terrystar232 ohh okk bro can you please say how far the keeper was??
When I was a kid back in those days we used to say, '' Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. If Lillee don't get ya...Thommo must.''
My dad would often say that it was the pair of Thomson and lillee that lifted Australia out of the doldrums of cricket ...he said that those two men would bowl continuously all day long and their pace never let up not even slightly
your dad is 100% exactly spot on . they are the two greatest most legendary bowlers of all time
@@acefrehley9411 we're from the Caribbean and his exacts words would be even to this day
"Them white men could bowl boy!"
Wether he was the fastest or not is irrelevant all that matters at the end of the day is that he is a cricket legend 🙂
Look at the huge smile on Iron Gloves’ face at 2:54 as he completes a great catch for his mate, Thommo.
Clive Lloyd has said Jeff Thomson was the quickest bowler he ever faced
I'm 57 was a kid when thommo lilie were about n obviously i haven't ever forgotten jeff those were great days Australian cricket and even the odd streaker .wish they'd put a few of those games back on Australia /Poms Australia /Windies etc. WELL done jeff n thankyou 👍
one of my favourite Aussies cricketer...I love his sheer pace and aggression.and the run-up. 👌👌👌👍
This guy was the quickest out the lot.
Richie Benaud reckoned that Frank Tyson Was The quickest he ever saw, I wonder.....
What about shoaib akhtar
Abdullah Sajid ...I love Shoaib, pace and swing, great bowler, but Thomson was a bit faster, and consistently faster.
Ronan Rogers agree about his consistency 👍🏻
England's Archer will be up there soon.
When the great West Indian sides of the 70s and 80s, not to mention Barry Richards, say you were the scariest, most dangerous they can remember, that's good enough. Amazing action.
The reaction of him taking a wicket is priceless
The Fastest Bowler Ever... Jeff “Thommo” Thomson!❤️🇦🇺🇮🇳👑🏏
One of the greatest of all time. His bowling action and hair style was one of the reasons I Loved and played cricket 🏏.growing up in early 80’s .
Just thinking facing to him without a helmet I mean that pace wow
One of the cleanest bowling actions..
Jef Thompson is legend to end all legends he holes the record as the fastest ever bowler in history of cricket his speed to this day he still holds the record for the fastest dilevery every and rightly so part of his hobby was to jump of the ute or four wheel drive and run after a wide Boer and actually catch it and string the Boer up know in our mids with a mighty man of extreme lighting speed like thouder boult he was unique and in the past and until today he his one heck of man fit and very healthy goes down in record as greatest fastest bowler in history what a legend
The thing that made Thommo's bowling so vicious was not just the speed, but the incredible lift from good length balls.
One of the greatest
This footage probably doesn’t do Thomson real justice as say his 1974-75 period. That was awe inspiring stuff.
Bowling at late 150s regularly.This is something unheard of.
This is the probably the first time I've heard anyone acknowledge the key elements of Thomson's effectiveness. His action was founded on flexibility. This allowed him to start the delivery motion of the ball, from further down and further back, than a conventional bowling action. His arm had slightly more distance and time to accelerate. So, for the given degree of force his body puts into the swing of his arm, his hand was travelling faster by the time of release.
Not depending as heavily on the speed of his run-up to contribute to his bowling speed, meant that he was putting a greater proportion of his energy into the actual delivery action.
I think it's a fascinating and beautiful action.
A large part of what made Thommo so good [and helped Lillee as well] was the fielding.
If a batsman gave a half chance it was probably taken 90% of the time.
Another part was the aggressive attitude of his first two International captains...
3 slips, gully, cover-point, mid-off, mid-on, short-square-leg, & fine-leg was the standard field for an opening bowler, if you wanted a leg slip take the third slip away and push the square leg a little forward...
Chappell I. often started with 5 slips, gully, extra-cover, short-forward-square-leg & leg-slip.
Chappell G. has been known to start with 7 slips & 2 gullies.
yep G C was a terrific captain but too be fair, the fielding is way better now. That all started with Captain Cranky and his guts and determination shows in todays cricket. AB is to good fielding as bacon is to eggs. the cocky bastard stood tall against the WI when all were falling around them. Never forget ABs contribution
Yeah - Jeff Thomson was lightning fast & yet accurate. How quick Thommo was - That in this VDO Clip (0.13 - 0.22) , wherein Viv Richards getting clean bowled by a delivery which banged his ''Off Stamp'' splits second before his flashing bat could meet the ball . He would easily go down as one of the fastest & fearsome ''Fast Bowler'' in the "Test Cricket History" !
I have seen much quicker deliveries from Tomson
Not only was he the fastest, but IMO Jeff Thompson has the coolest most fluid bowling action of all time !
MrOzgooner Joel Garner was pretty laid back during his time.
@@realaussiemale567 Ahhh yes those were the best days of cricket for me ...full of characters and teams that had true champion lineups from top to bottom..
All this footage is from after his shoulder injury. He was a fair bit faster before that point. I remember it well, just after lunch, 1st day, 1st Test Aus V Pakistan, late 1976, he collided with Alan Turner when Zaheer skied an attempted pull shot and they both went for it. He was never quite the same again.
comments from people like you who saw it all makes the comment section wonderful. keep them coming. you are living cricket archives in a way
I am an Aussie, and I think Thommo was a great and fearsome fast bowler that we still admire today. Yet when the West Indians took Australia's lead a couple of years later and did the same thing with 4 fearsome fast bowlers all the major cricketing bodies that had people with white skin hollered that intimidatory bowling was not fair and not good for the game. Food for thought.
Love his action.
Jeff was a Great Bowler! High 5 to Shoaib Akhtar for Breaking The World Record for Fast Bowling!
This film doesn't do him justice. I saw him bowl at his prime for QLD and Australia in 1975 and 1976. He was brutally fast, strong and just overwhelmed batsmen with pace and power. He moved from NSW to QLD because Greg Chappell said he didn't ever want to play against him again.Chappell said he could have been an Olympic decathlete, had the best throwing arm he's seen and could pick up both feet and put them behind his head. I was at the Gabba late one afternoon in fading light and he took 4/10 against Vics and turned that into 6/18 next morning.It is true that on a couple of the smaller Sydney grounds his bumpers cleared the boundary behind the keeper. Judging a bowler's speed with just a cricket eye is hard. The quickest I've seen are Lillee (pre broken back), Thommo, Marshall, Roberts, Holding, Hogg, Ambrose, Akhtar, Lee, Waqar, Donald, Malinga and Tate.
I met him when I was a child at WSC (Drummoyne Oval) I think. So fast. Pure speed. What an era.
I think Lenny Pascoe said it best. Guys like Akhtar and Tait may have bowled a faster delivery, but Thommo was consistently in the high 150's. Plus he scared the bejeezus out of batsmen.
All bowlers have strategies, some quite simple, others a little more intricate. They're largely dependent on the pitch, the batsmen and the current state of play.
Thommo's was basically one word: fast.
and he bowled the ball with height.
@@MournfulMystic Yes indeed.
Such high standards of fielding even in those days. Respect.
0:48 - he hurries even The Big Cat; if you know, what I mean. Okay, I’m impressed, very very impressed. Even Lilly couldn’t do it.
Legend with respect 🔥
Thompson's action is what gave him the extra edge. The short sighting of his arm would trouble any batsman.
intro music sound effect and commentary voice was awesome its feels like intro of action hero ❤🔥❤🔥❤🔥
I have watched Test cricket for sixty years. Thomson was at least a yard faster than anyone I have seen. 100 mph?
Some balls were slower than that, but some were faster. Nothing like him since, in my opinion.
Jacques de Morton are you sure your reaction time now just isn’t as fast as it was 40 years ago?
the thing was, no helmets. No chin guards. Thommo at a hundred mile an hour.
Doubtless, but my eyesight is still fairly good. I watched these gentlemen bowl.
Akhtar was as fast as Lillee in his prime.
Thomson was a yard faster than both of them. Best wishes.
Peter, the batsmen played differently. They were not armoured or helmeted.
They ducked, weaved or got out of the way. I saw many batsmen playing shots when the wicketkeeper had caught the ball.
Dream bowler, i just missed his time, was just growing up then. Awespiring. Would be great to know what Sunil Gavaskar felt about him.
Thommo scared the life out of the finest batsmen .....nuff said!
People forget he was a brilliant fielder (and athlete). His catch to dismiss Derek Murray off Max Walker in the outfield in the 3rd test in the 75/76 series was the best catch I'd ever seen
Players with unconventional style has always had a merry time in cricket.... Jeff, Malinga and now Bumrah...ohh and who would want to forget steven Smith
have you ever seen shoaib akhtar bowling?
Shivnarayan Chanderpaul
@@aliafaaqkhan2176 one of my favourite pakistani bowler , he wasnt unconventional though ...
Thomson is able to bowl quick because of his action...at that time westindies bowlers have wide open chest high arm action which got them extra pace ...now the bowlers have side way action for that they don't get bounce as well as pace ..
Gentle action gentle celebration
What a legend!
When World Series Cricket was a new thing, high profile players would be sent to schools and other public places to promote the whole circus.
I loved to play, and was just getting into following the game more closely on tele. Prior to the Brisbane test in late '78, a couple of players came to my primary school, on Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland, Australia.
On a stinking hot day, about 300 boys, 9 to 12 old, lined up at out 2 cricket nets, to bowl at, and then face the deliveries of these two guys.
Then we lined up to get their autographs, on WSC promo cards we were given, with all the season's fixtures.
I didn't know the 2 men, but later found out I had met Issac Vivian Alexander Richards, and Jeffery Robert Thomson. 😮 🤩
For years I treasured that signed and gradually battered cricket card.
About 11 yrs later, my mother - in a deluded fog of clearing out the past - collected it and many other family items, and threw it in the rubbish.
🤦🏼♂️😒
Never come those cricketing days up to 1992 world cup
❤ LOVE THOMMO - The cricketer and the man. ONE and ONLY!
THE FASTEST EVER! The Javelin Man! Huge respect sir 🙏🙏
74-75 England down under was the most vicious bowling I have ever seen ... all with no helmets. Amazed he didn't kill someone tbh.
Shaun Tait I think was the last bowler who could regularly bowl at searing pace like 155s.
His carrier wasn't long
Hey man now there is Mitch starc
@@mateenkhan2282 he is quick but not like tait, lee or akhtar. I have never saw him constantly bowling a full over at 155+ or even 150+.
Agreed, but no line , no length.
Shoaib akhter
Jeff Thomson_Greatest and excellent bowler of all time💚❤️
Music is also 💥💥💥
What's the music at the start of the video with heavy beats and it sounds it's there throughout the video.
The music at the beginning reminds me of TOP GUN
Facing 160 balls is also unbelievable without covering face
Look at where the keeper is standing for Thomo, they stood much further back for Akhtar in his prime.
These videos were way past Thomson's prime and after the big shoulder injury.
The Windies first taste of Thommo,Lawrence Rowe,WI opener walking back to the pavillion after Thommo dismissed him,walks Past Viv Richards,Viv says"is he really as fast as they say?"Rowe replies laughing,"you'll find out".
Fastest bowler I've ever seen
great action great bowler .true LEGEND
Thommo was genuinely extremely fast...it’s mind blowing to read so many ridiculous comments here by younger viewers who simply can’t believe it.
Heard of lots of him from my grandfather he was superb..
He is a legend, I don't think we will see a bowler like him
from his action he looks slow & differs from other bowlers, fast palm jerk at end releasing ball very fast n quickest from others, action is amazing not common copy book style like majority others. his natural personal action, my fav. wish u merry Xmas n happy year 2017.😁
seriously did he really bowl at 100 miles ? which delivery ?
one question , how come ICC managed to check the speed of Jeff back then
how come ICC did check the speed of WAQAR YOUNIS, and many West Indian bowlers ?
Waqar at times looked even more faster than even Shoaib
but nobody talks about that
hibernatorrr - There was a series of speed competitions way back in the 70's and Thomo was officially timed at 99.9 miles per hour (it was not even a match set-up, mind you!). In the same competition Imran was timed at 87mph, Andy Roberts at 97 mph and michael holding at something like 90mph. That is to answer the first part of your question...
Yes, there is a possibility that Waqar might have bowled faster at times (due to a similar slingy action)...but, it will only remain speculative as it was not officially timed
Definitely 100mph at least!! Promise you
In 1976 series Thomson bowled 99.99 mph, Holding 98.6 mph, Roberts 98.4 mph, Gary Gilmour 97.6 and Dennis Lillee 97.2 mph, Keith Boyce 86 mph. I may be wrong in decimals . But Thomson must be much more when he was young in 1974 against england. We donot knowanything about English Fast bowlers Willis, Mike Hendriks, Peter lever, Chris old , John Snow . They must be also vey fast esp Willis.
Isn't it pretty easy to calculate speed u know the yards if u can record time more or less u get an approximation! If not 100mph bowling near about that .
@@NishitShukla those videos are from the 1980's. Thommo was much faster in the mid 70's, plus he was ruined on only a few occasions. So, if he had been timed daily like bowlers are now he would've been timed at well over 100mph on his fastest days.
Those who said he was not fast,he debuted against Pakistan in 1972/73 ,he bowled against Pakistan with broken bone and he even didn't inform to Cricket Australia in that match(go check its fact) ,and he was out for this inccident
The packer series took out the best of every players... If not we would have seen tommmo and Lillee in India... In 79 series.. was led by Kim Hughes..
I just loved watching him bowl, and I’m an Englishman!
The odi clippings were from the early 80s'....so he had declined in pace slightly at that time...
Couple of test match dismissals were VERY QUICK...
check the clippings of mid 70s'...
he was very very quick consistently for long spells...
He bowled 107mph 105mph why the world doesn’t count him the world’s fastest bowler
... Don't think it was RECORDED way back then...
Hence his name doesn't figure in the speed list..
In the above video he doesn't seem that quick..
Because he didn't...where do you get those speeds from???
You people saying he wasn't the fastest bowler to play well here's news for you.....thommo bowled a bouncer which hit a batsman on the helmet and ricocheted for six. Now I'll stand stuffed if anyone else in history has bowled so fast that that has happened to them.
Aiden Boucher Mind citing a source?
Aiden Boucher My Uncle played shield cricket for NSW against Thommo, before Thommo played for Australia.
My uncle was 6’5” Thommo bounced him 6 balls in a row at ear height and they were still rising. And that was before helmets came out, so u can appreciate how scary he was. That’s what young fellas these days forget, back before all the protective padding & helmets came along a batsman only had his experience to save him. ✌🏻
Lol stop making things out of your mind
Most dangerous bowler ever .pace is frightening