Sydney, Mar : Former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson has questioned vice-captain Michael Clarke’s need to leave New Zealand to end his engagement with fiancée Lara Bingle.

Thomson said that Clarke should have ended his engagement without returning to Sydney.

“I think you could quite easily end the relationship without coming back, couldn''t you? You could quite easily say, That''s it anyway,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Thomson, as saying.

He further said that former Australian players would find the situation to be funny.

Melbourne, Nov 19 : Former Australian pace legend Jeff Thomson believes Shane Watson’s surprise role as a Test opener is an insult to opening batsmen across the country.

Selectors named Watson as Australia’s opener for next week’s first Test against the West Indies at the Gabba.

Thomson delivered a typically blunt assessment of Watson’s role as an opener, insisting it was “ridiculous”.

The Courier Mail quoted him as saying that specialist openers around Australia had every right to be angry.

London, Aug 25 : Former Australian cricketer Jeff Thomson has said that Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who is flying home for a rest, should not abandon his “sinking ship” but rather stay back and clear up the mess in England.

Thomson said that unless Ponting has some urgent personal business, he should not desert his inexperienced team, which has lost the Ashes.

London, Aug. 6 : In an article for The Mirror, former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson has warned that time is running out for skipper Ricky Ponting insofar as retaining The Ashes is concerned.

Thommo, a known baiter of Ponting''s style of captaincy, said: "He''s clutching at straws if he believes Australia are at their best in adversity. It''s time for Ponting to wake up and face facts: England are 1-0 up with only two games left to play and the Ashes are slipping away."

Melbourne, Feb 1: Cricket great Jeff Thomson has compared Australian bowling attack with a "third-grade club side," and said that South Africa will relish on the pace battery.

Thomson believes Australia will struggle to take the required 20 wickets to win a Test on their tour of South Africa, following Stuart Clark's injury setback on last Thursday,.

Thomson took particular aim at off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, tour hopeful Shaun Tait and spearhead Mitchell Johnson.