Shane Thomson announces retirement (20 Mar 1998)

20 March

Shane Thomson announces retirement

Terry Power for Cricinfo

Shane Thomson played a big part in New Zealand winning a cricket test. Had his talent been better fostered, and had he been less affected by lower leg injuries, he could have won many more than that.

Thomson, after not playing in 1997-98, this week announced his cricket retirement at just over 29 in favour of an equestrian marketing job in Europe.

At Christchurch on 27 February 1994, New Zealand needed 324, more than they had ever scored to win, to beat Pakistan. Unpromisingly placed at 133 for four when Thomson joined fellow Northern Districts batsman Bryan Young, the pair were still together 154 runs later at stumps. Next morning, Young was out for 120, but the fairheaded Hamiltonian stayed for the five-wicket win, also 120 and undefeated.

The match marked the only time Thomson ever completed a full home test series. That was remarkable because, till near the end when his form fell off, his test his average exceeded 40 - a figure none of the more longserving current Black Caps approaches. His best tour was three years ago to South Africa, where he was used reguarly, had some luck, and topped the test aggregates and averages.

But even in prosperity, he said of his increasing arthritic trouble in an interview at Paarl: "It will get me in the end."

Thomson was an elegant artist with flourishes, in a Kiwi game where many value macho with muscle. He had more than his share of borax poked at him. The sweetness of his timing was unmatched in his age-group - only the teenage Gareth Hopkins, among current Northern Knights, has been comparable.

Coming through Hamilton Boys High and ND age groups, after starting in Rotorua, Thomson was outstanding. A success-came-easy background was a mixed blessing when top-level cricket inevitably meant a diminution in his success rate .

In the late 1980's, Thomson and Chris Cairns were New Zealand's outstanding young all-rounders - fast-medium bowlers and aggressive batsmen. They teamed for New Zealand Youth one memorable February 1988 morning at Seddon Park to skittle Indian Youth for 106 - and it was Thomson who demolished six for 21 to Cairns' three for 36. The same season at Gisborne, they had a hammer-and-tongs battle in the Hamilton-Northland tournament match when both looked very impressive.

But on his first New Zealand tour, to England in 1990, Thomson was used as a stock medium-pacer. He was unsuited to and unsuccessful at this job, and developing shin splint trouble led him to adapt to become a test offspinner. Nor did having just five knocks for 32 runs with four not outs (because he batted down the order) help develop his ability.

In local cricket, Thomson's biggest achievement was a Hamilton record 185no against Thames Valley in 1990-91 - a powerful innings that also had a beauty to match the surroundings at Cambridge's Victoria Square.

Thomson's career batting figures, with acknowledgements to the Shell Cricket Almanack of NZ and Hamilton statistician Adrian Keown:

As a bowler, Thomson had 116 first-class wickets at 39.87, 19 at 50.15 in tests, 50 at 27.18 in Shell Cuppers, 42 at 38.14 in ODIs, and 51 at 19.39 for Hamilton.