He was a giant of a man and boy was he a fast bowler – Greg Ritchie

He was a giant of a man and boy was he a fast bowler – Greg Ritchie

“When I was 14 I was very lucky to be one of twelve cricket loving kids to meet Jeff Thomson. I can still see it so clearly being just a short distance away and looking up at this giant of a man. We got to watch him bowl, and boy he sure was fast. Two kids were chosen to bat against Jeff, and I was lucky enough to be one of those. Jeff didn’t bowl fast to me but to hit the ball that he bowled to me was amazing.

Two years later, at 16, I played my first cricket match for Wynnum Manly against Eastern Suburbs which was Jeff Thomson’s home team. This time when Jeff bowled to me he bowled fast, and I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t scared. I was bloody scared. At 20, I joined the Queensland Cricket Team and was privileged to play a number of games with Jeff.

Jeff will say that he remembers bowling to a skinny kid, who if memory serves him right, did a pretty good job of hitting the ball.”

Greg Ritchie
Former Australian and International Cricketer

Image: Jeff Thompson fielding © Getty Images

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