File picture of Glenn McGrath and Jeff Thomson

Kuala Lumpur: Jeffrey Thomson is 56 and his last appearance for Australia was way back in 1985. Yet, be it on the streets or wherever, he continues to get noticed (“I don’t allow it to get to my head, though”) and the present-day batsmen must be relieved they don’t have to face his nearly 100mph deliveries, fired from a slinging action.

Thomson, who took 200 Test wickets and forged one of the most menacing partnerships, with Dennis Lillee, spoke to The Telegraph for over 45 minutes the other day. He’s here as a TV commentator for the tri-series.

The following are excerpts

Q What are the essentials for a fast bowler?

A Aggression, being strong in build and being whippy... Most pitches aren’t helpful for fast bowling, so you can’t be weak in the heart... Because of what you’re up against, you’ve got to be mad to take to fast bowling!

That’s quite a statement... Why did you take to fast bowling?

(Smiles) I like speed, like driving fast... I mean, I wouldn’t have been a cricketer if I wasn’t bowling fast... As a kid, I’d watched Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith... Boy, I couldn’t have been a spinner!

Who did you idolise?

Nobody... But, yes, I liked watching Hall and Fred Trueman.

Will you elaborate on aggression?

Well, yes... It has to be controlled... You’ve got to get angry, when you’ve got to, but you can either look the batsman in the eye or present a poker face. My face never gave anything away and, so, the batsmen didn’t know what was going on in my mind ... I never let on, while mate Dennis was quite the opposite. Frankly, to get wickets, I didn’t have to get angry.

What would be your thoughts when you reached the top of your mark for the first time in a match?

Just wanted to let go... I saw the pitch as my turf and wanted the batsmen out... It didn’t matter who was taking strike.

Wouldn’t you get upset if somebody took boundaries off you?

Either a bad ball or a lucky shot would get boundaries... In any case, my philosophy was that it takes one ball to get a batsman out.

I assume you’re cut up with the bouncer restrictions?

They keep playing with the laws and end up making a mess... The umpires could step in, I don’t see why there should be restrictions... People have tried to invent the wheel, little realising the wheel already exists!

What’s your take on fast bowling in the past two decades?

Oh, it has dropped off, particularly in the last ten years...

Why?

Don’t know... There have only been a few guys with pace — Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar... I can’t think of anybody else.

Wasim Akram feels that an obsession with the speed gun has made the fast bowlers forget about swing. Do you agree?

Maybe bowlers do look at the speed gun, but it’s rubbish anyway... The calculation is out of the bowler’s hand, not at the other end... It gives a false impression and the actual speed could be ten per cent slower... The question is: What are the coaches doing? It’s not that hard to make the ball swing and, so, why aren’t they working with the bowlers? Kapil Dev, Akram, Waqar Younis... All these guys swung the ball and picked up a huge number of wickets... The coaches and super coaches aren’t teaching the blokes properly.

Were you conscious about speed?

Absolutely... I made sure that every ball collected by Rodney Marsh went like a rocket. (Adds grinning) I didn’t have to look at any speed gun, I looked at the batsman.

Marsh’s hands must have required much attention...

Of course, they would be bruised and battered... He would have tapes all over...

Did it take you long to ease off after a day spent charging it at close to 100 mph?

(Laughs) As long as it took to get past the gate! I would grab a beer, that’s all. (Adds after a pause) The camaraderie in those days was terrific... After stumps, it wasn’t unusual to have a round of beer with somebody I’d been trying to ‘kill’ not too long ago. Next morning, we were back as rivals.

Who were the most courageous batsmen you bowled to?

Sunil Gavaskar, Roy Fredericks... They wore caps or floppy hats, nothing more... Nowadays, well...

Has the availability of so much protective gear made the batsmen soft?

Wouldn’t say so... However, it has made them lax with technique, particularly when playing the short ball.

The hook seems to have gone out of the game...

That’s because there are restrictions on bouncers and, secondly, there’s hardly anybody around to bowl them!

Your comments on Glenn McGrath?

He’s a guy who controls what he does... He’s nagging and makes batsmen lose patience...

Are you concerned about chucking?

It’s worrying... You can’t pick one (chucked) ball out of hundred... Gets noticed when it’s done consistently...

Who is to blame?

Those who worked with the bowlers when they were young... The correction has to be done at that stage... Chuckers need to be ‘caught’ early. The system needs to take care of this.

Is there a way of avoiding injuries?

Yes, if people stop trying to change a bowler’s action... I believe too many people get into the act and that’s the top reason for injuries. I shouldn’t, for example, make you bowl the way I did... Refine a guy gently, nothing beyond that... Some strive for the perfect action but, mate, I don’t know what that is.

Are you surprised that injuries keep recurring despite the presence of a sizeable support staff?

Do they know the job or do they keep bullshitting? The difference between the current lot and our time is that, nowadays, they play a lot more one-dayers... On the other hand, when we weren’t playing Tests, we would be playing domestic cricket... I still had to bowl...

Surely, there must have been a rivalry between you and Lillee?

There was... You need to have that competitive thing in you that if the guy at the other end got a wicket, you wouldn’t let him take many more... I wouldn’t have felt good if he got six and I got none. The rivalry has to be healthy and both should have respect.

What, in your opinion, is the strength of Australian cricket?

We have good weather, we have good conditions to play and, then, we have pitches which vary from state to state... The competitive nature of Australians is also a factor in our success... Being tough, being aggressive... Australians don’t take the easy option and believe that, whatever the situation, they can win.

There’s this debate over whether it's necessary for John Buchanan’s successor to have played international cricket... Your thoughts?

We have such a good bunch of talented players that anybody could coach them... Any coach would have had the same success (as Buchanan)... Bottomline is that if you don’t have the blokes with the ability to win matches, you won’t win any. We’ve remained champions for a number of years while the rest have dropped off...

Is it necessary for the coach to have a high profile?

It’s not about profile, a coach has to be somebody with the ability to improve a cricketer who is struggling.

How long did it take you to come to terms with the shoulder injury (in 1976-77) after that horrific collision with Alan Turner?

Briefly, the whole world turned upside-down, but I’m not a negative person... You won’t find me sulking... I was told I wouldn’t be able to play again and, believe me, those were the best words I’d heard... I got even more motivated and was back within three months... Remember, it’s mind over matter... That’s how it ought to be.

Lastly, your message for young fast bowlers...

Take on board what suits you... Be determined and don’t depend on others to help you develop, develop yourself... I’m a believer in that the more you bowl, the better you get. Follow that and you’re going to be able to handle tough situations. Good luck!