Queensland cricket great John Macleans claims Thommo was so fast he’d “frighten people out”

To this day a favourite son of Queensland cricket, John Maclean, has never seen a bowler faster than Jeff Thomson. Indeed Maclean said the Toombul Bulls and Queensland legend was so quick he would “frighten people out’’.

To this day a favourite son of Queensland cricket, John Maclean, has never seen a bowler faster than Jeff Thomson.

Maclean, a veteran of 86 Shield matches for his beloved state between 1968-69 and 1978-79 and four Tests, said Thomson was so fast he would “frighten people out’’.

“Rodney Hogg (ex-Australian paceman) describes it as fast, and then there is Thommo,’’ Maclean said.

“Thommo was at least 10 mph faster than anyone else.

“He would walk out and bowl at 160 without warming up, and the thing with Thommo is he would get faster through a spell whereas most blokes tired.

“He was athletic enough that he just got that swinging action going.

“If he was 160 at the start, he would be well over that midway through.’’

THE DAY JOHN MACLEAN SAID NO TO KERRY PACKER

Maclean said Thomson, who played with the Toombul Bulls, was so fast that in Perth as keeper, he would stand back 30m with the gloves, although once in Sydney Maclean was forced back further.

John Maclean with his treasured Test cap. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

“That day in Sydney I was going back probably a metre or two every ball because they were still going up over head height when they were hitting my gloves.

“He skidded and the ball kept going up.

“Blokes thought we were joking (about his pace). They would come out thinking we were having a lend but that was how quick he was.’’

Maclean, who also captained Queensland on 35 occasions, added: “How people didn’t get killed is still beyond me,’’ said Maclean.

“I remember one game against Victoria, neither batsman would run a single because they did not want to get up the other end.

“After about half an hour they were none down for one or two.

“Then the next morning he got (Ian) Redpath out and the rest of them didn’t want to be there.

“It was scary. He was frighteningly quick.

“Then another day in Sydney they (NSW) were going along at 5-150 and Thommo started to really get quicker.

Two giants of Queensland cricket, Carl Rackemann and Jeff Thomson talk tactics.

“And he’d say to Phil Carlson at mid-wicket: “How are they coming out’’.

“And Phil said (laughing) “they are coming out quick’’.

“Well one went over my head and bounced once or twice into the fence.

“He was quick.

“Even the West Indies will tell you Thommo was the quickest.

“I have seen no one quicker since. Whether Larwood or Tyson was, but I can’t believe anyone was quicker … the athleticism of Thommo was unbelievable. Even after his shoulder operation he was still bloody quick.’’

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Before becoming Thomson’s wicket keeper in Queensland, Maclean also batted against Thomson when he was playing for NSW in 1973-74 in Sydney.

The fluent approach of Jeff Thomson playing in retirement.

“The first ball he hit me in the shoulder, just below the jaw, and I had only lifted the bat six inches,’’ Maclean said.

“And I thought this is survival, this is not about making runs. This is about getting out of here alive.’’

Thomson was a friend of Maclean for most of his career, but before he moved to the Sunshine State in 1974, Thomson was a foe when he cost Maclean his dream of winning a Sheffield Shield.

Maclean spent 86 Shield matches between 1978-69 and 1978-79 toiling in blazing Brisbane heat in a bid to capture what was the Holy Grail of Australian sport.

On three occasions Maclean could see the Shield, but it eluded him.

“In 1968-69 South Australia beat us in the last game. We would have won it if we had beaten them,’’ he said.

“In 1973-74, Greg Chappell’s first year (in Queensland) Thommo beat us.’’

Collision between bowler Jeff Thomson and fieldsman Alan Turner. Thomson sustained a dislocated right shoulder in the 1976 accident when he went for a caught and bowled. He played club cricket with Toombul.

Playing for NSW, Thomson claimed 7-85 and 2-40 as Queensland collapsed for 205 and 191 in the match to decide the Shield.

“Then in 1978-79 the Shield came down to the last game in Melbourne. We had been that far ahead people thought we could not lose, but we lost three games in a row.’’

The longest streak with out winning a trophy in first class Australian sport was finally broken 16 years after Maclean’s retirement, and trust me, Maclean was front and centre of celebrations