‘Thommo’s’ new career

Press, 1 May 1981, Page 24

‘Thommo’s’ new career

NZPA London Jeff Thomson accepted Middlesex’s offer to play county cricket this season because “I like Lord’s and London,” but he starts his new career in the unlikely venue of Darlington, when the champion county side plays a friendly match against Durham on Sunday. Thomson joined his new colleagues briefly in the Lord’s nets yesterday, where the temperature was about 30 degrees cooler than the weather he left in Australia a few days ago. When Middlesex began its

match against M.C.C., Thomson joined the West Indian, Wayne Daniel — also committed to work on his match fitness — in settling down to serious work. Thomson, aged 30, said: “I will be training and bowling hard during the next week before our first championship match against Essex. “I am as fit as I have been for years. All my shoulder and ankle trouble is behind me and I played a full season in the Sheffield Shield, in bursts I am as fast as when I first played against England in 1974.”

That was the series when he devastated Mike Denness’ team and with Dennis Lillee — was largely responsible for regaining the Ashes. Thomson said: “I thought that I bowled as well as at any time in my life during the last Australian season and I thought I would walk into the test team, but they didn’t want me. “Still, judging from my performance in the shield, I don’t think any of the Australian batsmen will look forward to facing me when Middlesex play them in June.