Dr. Neil Thompson

Cricket, and particularly Sydney University Cricket Club, played a significant part in the life of Dr Neil Thompson who died on 30th October 2021, aged 81.

Neil grew up in Bondi, went to school at Bondi Public School and Sydney Boys’ High School. He was capable and competitive at many sports.  He was in the Sydney High 1st XI, and also in the rugby, tennis and athletic teams.

While at University, where he started in Pharmacy but quickly moved to Medicine, he initially played with Waverley Club and reached first grade.  He then moved to SUCC where, in the 1959-60 season he played second grade. The annual report (which contained some pretty blunt comments) noted: “It would seem obvious that each batsman must concentrate heavily on developing a defensive technique before he can hope to be a successful candidate for First Grade cricket. This problem applies to …….., Neil Thompson and others”!!  The batting highlights included “Neil Thompsons’s 62 against Cumberland.”  His batting figures were 13 innings, aggregate 116, average 13.6.  He was mentioned in the bowling figures for taking one wicket for 21 runs.  In the Poidevin-Gray Shield competition he scored 37 and took 1-13 against his old club Waverley, took 2-25 against Randwick, 2-49 against Western Suburbs, and scored 66 against St George.  In the intervarsity match against Melbourne, he scored 25 in the second innings but Sydney was thrashed by an innings!

The following season (1960-61) he played mainly in third grade where his highest score from 3 innings was 50, he took 2 wickets at 28.5, 3 catches, and he was “particularly outstanding” in the field.  He (and several others) “played one or two good innings marked by real evidence of concentration” (some progress from the previous report!). 

In the 1961-62 season he scored 108 against Combined High Schools and 116 against the RAAF.  In second grade he scored 198 runs in total and took 16 wickets. He also had four innings in third grade for a total of 102 runs and took four wickets. The Annual Report records that “Some of Neil’s sixes were quite fantastic.”

In the 1962-63 season he played two matches in first grade scoring 24 runs but played more in second grade where he was part of the premiership team. He took 30 wickets with best efforts of 3-17 and 5-49 in one game and 5-49 in another. He was described as an “under-rated” bowler who “used the new ball very intelligently and what he lacked in speed he made up in guile”.  This might refer to his left arm “banana ball” which came into a right-handed batsman from a long way out!

The 2nd XI in 1963-64 were again premiers.  The report states: “Neil had a most successful season taking 31 wickets and scoring 192 runs. He was most consistent and his 7-38 against Manly was as a result of a magnificent spell of bowling.” That year, in the intervarsity against Queensland Uni he took 7-50 and 2-20.

The following season the seconds won the premiership again. Neil was thus a significant contributor to three successive premierships, particularly as he scored a century in the final. He also took 18 wickets.

During his university days he also played cricket for the St Michael’s Vaucluse church team in their competition.

After graduation from university, he worked at Parramatta Hospital as a resident medical officer and played cricket with the University Veterans. In 1965-66 he had 5 innings with a top score of 59 and collected 22 wickets.  The next season he batted 11 times with a top score of 61 and collected 30 wickets.  He was selected in the combined City and Suburban team.

He travelled to the UK to further his medical education and worked in Liverpool and Cambridge. He also met and married Elaine, gained his FRCSE and FRCS diplomas and they had their first child.  Life was busy!  They later had two daughters. While living at Cambridge he played with the Cambridge Travellers team as well as hospital teams.

The family returned to Australia in 1972. He trained further in Orthopaedics and obtained his FRACS.  He resumed cricket with the Veterans.  In the 1972-73 season he batted nine times for a highest score of 61 and collected 29 wickets.  In the 1973-74 season he had 7 innings with highest score of 53 and collected 22 wickets. The report for the 1975-76 year states that he “made a welcome return. He batted and bowled as if he had never been away from the game”. The report however quotes only one innings of 27!

In 1976 he made another good decision and moved to Lismore to live.  He was the only Orthopaedic Surgeon resident in the town, was on call all the time, and was very busy. He continued to provide a quality practice but was later to welcome other Orthopaedic surgeons to town.  He retired after 25 years of dedicated service to the local community. During this time, he continued to play occasional games of cricket, notably in the annual Doctors v. Lawyers game.  His bowling was restricted by a lower back problem. This hampered his golf too. He played tennis regularly.

In 1978 while in Hobart attending a meeting of the Australian Orthopaedic Association he was involved in climbing a telegraph pole to rescue a young man behaving erratically.  He received the Australian Commendation for Brave Conduct and the Silver Medal of the Royal Humane Society.  This was an example of his care for fellow humans.

In retirement he was not idle.  He played tennis and occasional golf and managed to find time to write a book entitled “Sawbones, Saddle Burns, and Soothing Balms” on the history of medical practice in the Richmond Valley from 1866-1986.

Throughout his life and particularly while at University playing cricket Neil made good friends who remained friends for life.  He was great company, with comments that were insightful and showed his quirky sense of humour.  He was part of a large and loving family.  He was described by his eulogist as “a gentleman and a great bloke”

Scott Harbison, who played for SUCC with Neil.