Chris Thomas of Oxford, England
Kingsgrove Sports Centre Customer of the Week
1. Name and current date – Chris Thomas
2. Date of Birth – 16/2/74
3. Place of Birth – Mombasa, Kenya
4. Current Location – Oxford, UK
5. Who do / did you play cricket for – Oxford CC
6. In what capacity – Top order batsman (4/5)
7. Best Cricket feats – Not getting out to Andy Caddick as a schoolboy playing against Somerset 2nd XI (Kiwi Caddick was still qualifying as an "Englishman") / getting sledged by Shane Warne in a Combined Universities vs Australia game.
8. Greatest Cricket moment / memory – Winning the Lord Taverners Competiton with Millfield School as a 15 year old / getting bought a pint by Shane Warne after the Combined Universities vs Australia game / watching Murray Cox (current South Sydney player) hook the Zimbabwe opening bowler into the tennis courts whilst playing club cricket in England (he scored 90 odd off 60-odd balls).
9. Tell us little about your cricket history – Started at school and playing against my uncle and grandfather in their back yard, progressed through to grade cricket and representative cricket - now in the twilight of my career as work and family committements take hold.
10. Tell us a little about the cricket competitions you play in – Home Counties league - slowly English cricket is getting closer to Australian grade in terms of structure and game length, I still believe English club cricket would benefit from the two day games over two weekends
11. Favorite Teams – Surrey (I have a house close to the Oval) and Australia
12. Favorite Players – Lara (unpredictable brilliance), Warne (predicatable brilliance)
13. Favorite Commentator – There is only one commentator - Richie Benaud
14. Favorite Cricketing Publication - Daily Telegraph Sports section
15. Favorite Cricketing Website – Wisden
16. Favorite Cricketing Brand – Bats - Millichamp/Bradbury; protective gear - Kookaburra
17. Tell us about the best bat you've ever had – A Newbery which did not even last pre-season nets, but in the month that I had it, I have never had a bat that "ping-ed" that well.
18. What is your most treasured cricketing item – Lord Taverners' winners medal
19. What ideas would you propose to improve the game of cricket – As above - 2 day cricket for English clubs, half the number of English first class counties, State of Origin cricket game in Australia.
20. Rate the following three -
Test - For the purist
One Dayers – In 90% of the games, the result is apparent after the first 10 overs of the second innings
Twenty20 – Good introduction to the game / piss up with your mates after work
21. What are your thoughts on the sledging issue – as long as it is light hearted, I have no problem - cricket is played in the head and it is part of the "hard" character of the game - I draw the line before it becomes personal or racist
22. Who do you rate as being the best in the last 20 years -
Batsman – Viv Richards
Bowler – Shane Warne
WK – Adam Gilchrist
Allrounder – Adam Gilchrist / Ian Botham
Captain – Mike Brearley
23. Who do you rate as being the greatest cricketer of all time – Shane Warne (reintroduced a "dead art" and because of the excitement he generates)
24. Have you ever had professional cricket coaching - Yes
25. What is the best tip you've had or given – back yourself whoever is facing you, if you are there - you have a chance
26. Is there are song you love that you relate to cricket -Buffalo Soldier (from playing cricket in Jamaica)
27. Best Cricket Video you've seen – n/a
28. Best Cricket Book you've read – Gower autobiography
29. Best Cricket After dinner speaker you've seen – Richie Benaud
30. Best / Nicest cricketer you've met - Graham Thorpe - in a pro/am sevens tournament, he came up and introduced himself as "Graham", he was totally unassuming and gave me the strike!!!!
31. What other interests do you have outside of cricket –stockbroking (job) / family / real tennis (good for keeping the eye in over the winter)
32. How did you come across Kingsgrove Sports Centre - Living and playing in Sydney and playing for South Sydney CC with someone who worked in the Parramatta shop.
1. Name and current date – Chris Thomas
2. Date of Birth – 16/2/74
3. Place of Birth – Mombasa, Kenya
4. Current Location – Oxford, UK
5. Who do / did you play cricket for – Oxford CC
6. In what capacity – Top order batsman (4/5)
7. Best Cricket feats – Not getting out to Andy Caddick as a schoolboy playing against Somerset 2nd XI (Kiwi Caddick was still qualifying as an "Englishman") / getting sledged by Shane Warne in a Combined Universities vs Australia game.
8. Greatest Cricket moment / memory – Winning the Lord Taverners Competiton with Millfield School as a 15 year old / getting bought a pint by Shane Warne after the Combined Universities vs Australia game / watching Murray Cox (current South Sydney player) hook the Zimbabwe opening bowler into the tennis courts whilst playing club cricket in England (he scored 90 odd off 60-odd balls).
9. Tell us little about your cricket history – Started at school and playing against my uncle and grandfather in their back yard, progressed through to grade cricket and representative cricket - now in the twilight of my career as work and family committements take hold.
10. Tell us a little about the cricket competitions you play in – Home Counties league - slowly English cricket is getting closer to Australian grade in terms of structure and game length, I still believe English club cricket would benefit from the two day games over two weekends
11. Favorite Teams – Surrey (I have a house close to the Oval) and Australia
12. Favorite Players – Lara (unpredictable brilliance), Warne (predicatable brilliance)
13. Favorite Commentator – There is only one commentator - Richie Benaud
14. Favorite Cricketing Publication - Daily Telegraph Sports section
15. Favorite Cricketing Website – Wisden
16. Favorite Cricketing Brand – Bats - Millichamp/Bradbury; protective gear - Kookaburra
17. Tell us about the best bat you've ever had – A Newbery which did not even last pre-season nets, but in the month that I had it, I have never had a bat that "ping-ed" that well.
18. What is your most treasured cricketing item – Lord Taverners' winners medal
19. What ideas would you propose to improve the game of cricket – As above - 2 day cricket for English clubs, half the number of English first class counties, State of Origin cricket game in Australia.
20. Rate the following three -
Test - For the purist
One Dayers – In 90% of the games, the result is apparent after the first 10 overs of the second innings
Twenty20 – Good introduction to the game / piss up with your mates after work
21. What are your thoughts on the sledging issue – as long as it is light hearted, I have no problem - cricket is played in the head and it is part of the "hard" character of the game - I draw the line before it becomes personal or racist
22. Who do you rate as being the best in the last 20 years -
Batsman – Viv Richards
Bowler – Shane Warne
WK – Adam Gilchrist
Allrounder – Adam Gilchrist / Ian Botham
Captain – Mike Brearley
23. Who do you rate as being the greatest cricketer of all time – Shane Warne (reintroduced a "dead art" and because of the excitement he generates)
24. Have you ever had professional cricket coaching - Yes
25. What is the best tip you've had or given – back yourself whoever is facing you, if you are there - you have a chance
26. Is there are song you love that you relate to cricket -Buffalo Soldier (from playing cricket in Jamaica)
27. Best Cricket Video you've seen – n/a
28. Best Cricket Book you've read – Gower autobiography
29. Best Cricket After dinner speaker you've seen – Richie Benaud
30. Best / Nicest cricketer you've met - Graham Thorpe - in a pro/am sevens tournament, he came up and introduced himself as "Graham", he was totally unassuming and gave me the strike!!!!
31. What other interests do you have outside of cricket –stockbroking (job) / family / real tennis (good for keeping the eye in over the winter)
32. How did you come across Kingsgrove Sports Centre - Living and playing in Sydney and playing for South Sydney CC with someone who worked in the Parramatta shop.
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