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[Vic Nicholas]

This article brought back memories...

http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/668721.html

[smokem]

Great read. Thanks for sharing!

[Wickets-then-runs]

I went to a breakfast a while ago where Thommo was the guest speaker and he said that he has had various scientists tell him that the speed guns they used back in the 70's when he was clocked as the fastest ever, were quite inaccurate and that, if measured today, he would be a bit over 170km/h! Before helmets....

[arsenal123]

If only it could be worked out accurately.  Cricket must be one of the few sports where speeds have allegedly gone down over time.  I think not wearing lids has got to be a factor though, the idea of playing against Flintoff in his pomp, Morkel or Brett Lee without a lid on seems ridiculous (I used these examples, not because they are quickest but their back of a length coming into the batsman would be a nightmare without a lid).

[Over Gully]

I went to a breakfast a while ago where Thommo was the guest speaker and he said that he has had various scientists tell him that the speed guns they used back in the 70's when he was clocked as the fastest ever, were quite inaccurate and that, if measured today, he would be a bit over 170km/h! Before helmets....

I believe they measure bowler's speed nowadays from release of ball until it hits the ground, whereas back in those days it was measured over the full 22 yards, where the ball decelerated after pitching. Thomson was clocked at 160 kph over 22 yards, so if it was just from hand until pitching, that would in fact be closer to 170, if not over. Makes the footage of Bumble getting hit in the nether regions at that pace seem all the more painful...

[Rowan]

Played for my club in Brisbane!

[cricketboy2010]

Even back then they speeds were clocked from the hand, no difference between then and now. He could have never bowled 170, that's just ridiculous. Give this a watch and look through the first couple of comments. Lillee & Thomson bowling speeds (The video's owner prevents external embedding)

[tim2000s]

In Super Slo Mo, he looks like he is chucking it

[Vic Nicholas]

Thommo is the only bowler that I know of in the history of the game to hit the sight screen on the full after a bouncer flew over the keepers head.

He did it in club cricket and he nearly did it again at the WACA versus England when a ball to Tony Grieg kicked from short of a length over the keepers head and hit the gutter running along the boundary!

Irrespective, Ian Botham claims that Viv Richards told him that Thommo was the fastest bowler he had ever faced. Now consider that as captain, Richards would have had all the bowlers bowling flat out at him in the nets and in county matches trying to impress him to break into the test team, then you have some idea that he has more of an idea than most.

Clive Lloyd not only maintains that Thomson was the fastest of all time, but that he was bowling circa 170kms.

Big call, but again, he would have some idea.

[Vic Nicholas]

World's fastest bowler JEFF THOMSON

Jeff Thomson, Talking about his EXPLOITS, some of his fastest spells.

West Indies vs Australia 1975-76

Enjoy!

[lastmanstand]

not sure what to believe with this, dont think we will ever really know

If you look at athletics records over time it seems unlikely that people cant bowl as fast now with better nutrition/sports science etc...

[Vic Nicholas]

not sure what to believe with this, dont think we will ever really know

If you look at athletics records over time it seems unlikely that people cant bowl as fast now with better nutrition/sports science etc...

Thomson used to be a javelin thrower and his javelin thrower/catapult action has never been replicated.

So, while athletics records have improved incrementally over time, someone bowling faster than Thommo will likely only be possible when some replicates his unique biomechanics and enormous shoulder strength.

Most of the footage of Thommo on the net is from him in his 30's way after his peak/shoulder reconstruction.

When I saw the Windies fast bowlers live from side on 1980 Boxing Day test, I was staggered that I could not see the ball after it left the hand and by how far back the keeper and slips stood.

With Thommo, the keeper and slips stood even further back.

One thing I do know is that Akhtar, Lee, Tate etc have never given me the impression with the naked eye of being faster than Thommo.

For an over or two, they might be nearly as quick, but Thommo would bowl at their pace for longer and his fastest was like WOW.

I wish he was around now, he would be a sensation.