Let me tell you about the first time I saw Jeff Thomson bowling in grade cricket. It was a game against Bankstown at Waverley Oval around 1972.
We batted first and of course in those days we only turned up 20 minutes before the start of the game. We won the toss. Elected to bat and thought we would be in for a leisurely day getting over the previous night's festivities.
Lenny Richardson, later to play for NSW and Queensland, was opening the batting and took strike. Ian Gorman was the keeper and Thommo marks his run up. Right to the edge of the southern practice wickets. About 40 metres.
There would have been nearly 100 metres between Thommo at the top of his run up and Gorman, who was planted not far from the northern practice wickets.
We thought. On Waverley Oval. This bloke is having a lend of us.
