Alfonso Thomas

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Alfonso Thomas

| image = Alfonso Thomas 1.jpg

| country = South Africa

| fullname = Alfonso Clive Thomas

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|2|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cape Town, South Africa

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm fast-medium

| role = Bowler

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2007

| oneT20I = true

| T20Idebutdate = 2 February

| T20Idebutyear = 2007

| T20Idebutagainst = Pakistan

| T20Icap = 26

| club1 = North West

| year1 = 2000–2003

| club2 = Northerns

| year2 = 2003–2006

| club3 = Titans

| year3 = 2004–2007

| club4 = Staffordshire

| year4 = 2005

| club5 = Warwickshire

| year5 = 2007

| club6 = Dolphins

| year6 = 2007–2010

| club7 = Somerset

| year7 = 2008–2015

| clubnumber7 = 8

| club8 = → Sussex (on loan)

| year8 = 2015

| club9 = Lions

| year9 = 2011

| club10 = Pune Warriors

| year10 = 2011–2012

| club11 = Adelaide Strikers

| year11 = 2011–2012

| club12 = Titans

| year12 = 2012–2013

| club13 = Perth Scorchers

| year13 = 2012–2014

| club14 = Dhaka Gladiators

| year14 = 2013

| columns = 4

| column1 = T20I

| matches1 = 1

| runs1 = –

| bat avg1 = –

| 100s/50s1 = –

| top score1 = –

| deliveries1 = 24

| wickets1 = 3

| bowl avg1 = 8.33

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/25

| catches/stumpings1 = 0/–

| column2 = FC

| matches2 = 164

| runs2 = 4,130

| bat avg2 = 23.07

| 100s/50s2 = 2/14

| top score2 = 119*

| deliveries2 = 29,790

| wickets2 = 547

| bowl avg2 = 26.34

| fivefor2 = 25

| tenfor2 = 2

| best bowling2 = 7/54

| catches/stumpings2 = 43/–

| column3 = LA

| matches3 = 169

| runs3 = 727

| bat avg3 = 16.90

| 100s/50s3 = 0/0

| top score3 = 49*

| deliveries3 = 7,195

| wickets3 = 219

| bowl avg3 = 28.64

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 4/18

| catches/stumpings3 = 35/–

| column4 = T20

| matches4 = 225

| runs4 = 410

| bat avg4 = 12.05

| 100s/50s4 = 0/0

| top score4 = 30*

| deliveries4 = 4,558

| wickets4 = 263

| bowl avg4 = 21.81

| fivefor4 = 1

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 5/24

| catches/stumpings4 = 67/–

| date = 30 September

| year = 2015

| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10430/10430.html CricketArchive

}}

Alfonso Clive Thomas (born 9 February 1977) is a South African former professional cricketer. He is a right arm fast-medium bowler and a big hitting lower-order batsman. Playing in South African domestic cricket for North West, Northerns, the Titans, the Lions, and the Dolphins, Thomas has also played English county cricket for Warwickshire and Somerset, Indian Premier League matches for the Pune Warriors, and in Australian domestic cricket for the Adelaide Strikers and the Perth Scorchers. In June 2014, Thomas took four wickets in four balls in a County Championship game against Sussex.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/27773687 |title=Alfonso Thomas: Somerset seamer takes four wickets in four balls |access-date=10 June 2014 |publisher=BBC Sport}} He was a pioneer of death bowling in the early years of T20 cricket.

Career

=South African domestic career=

Thomas made his first-class debut playing for Western Province B in Newlands, Cape Town in the 1998/99 season.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/67/67175.html |title=Scorecard: Western Province B v North West in 1998/99 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-11| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091008130112/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/67/67175.html| archive-date= 8 October 2009 | url-status= live}} In three first-class matches for Western Province B, he took two wickets,{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10430/f_Bowling_by_Team.html |title=First-class Bowling For Each Team by Alfonso Thomas |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-11}} and did not play another first-class match until the 2000/01 season after a move to North West.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10430/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class Matches played by Alfonso Thomas| publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-11}} His North West and SuperSport Series debut came against Gauteng, where he finished with match figures of 6/120.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/70/70821.html| title=Scorecard: North West v Gauteng in 2000/01 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-11}} Thomas scored his maiden century only two games later, hitting 106 not out while batting at number ten,{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/71/71003.html |title=Scorecard: Griqualand West v North West in 2000/01 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-11}} setting a record tenth wicket partnership for North West of 174 with Garth Roe as he did so.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/SouthAfrica/Firstclass/NorthWest/Batting_Records/Highest_Partnership_Each_Wicket_For.html |title=Highest Partnership for Each Wicket for North West |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-11}} Four months later, Thomas was involved in another record breaking partnership for North West. With the team at 87/7 against Western Province, Thomas joined Morne Strydom at the crease. 492 balls later when Strydom was caught by Neil Johnson, the pair had added 204 to the score; Thomas eventually going on to score 95 not out.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/71/71724.html |title=Scorecard: North West v Western Province in 2000/01 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-11}} The following match, Thomas achieved his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, as he took the wickets of Easterns top five batsmen during a ten wicket victory; finishing the innings with 6/26.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/71/71752.html |title=Scorecard: Easterns v North West in 2000/01 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-11}}

Thomas started the 2001/02 season on top form, claiming five-wickets in an innings on three occasions in the first five games, against Boland,{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/73/73140.html |title=Scorecard: North West v Boland in 2001/02| publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-18}} Western Province,{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/73/73239.html |title=Scorecard: North West v Western Province in 2001/02 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-18}} and Griqualand West.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/73/73339.html |title=Scorecard: Griqualand West v North West in 2001/02 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-18}} He represented South Africa in the Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes in November 2001, having a stand-out performance in a Pool One match against Hong Kong as he took 2/4 in his over.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/108/108254.html |title=Scorecard: Hong Kong v South Africa in 2001/02 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-18}} He finished the 2001/02 season as North West's leading wicket-taker, with 35 wickets at an average of 22.14.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/RSA/SuperSport_Series_2001-02/North_West_Bowling.html |title=Bowling for North West: SuperSport Series 2001/02 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-18}} His form saw him picked for South African Board President's XI and South Africa A to play the touring India A side. In a shortened 2002/03 South African domestic season due to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, Thomas only appeared in three first-class and five one-day matches for North West,{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10430/List_A_Matches.html |title=List A Matches played by Alfonso Thomas |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-19}} although he did once more represent South Africa in the Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10430/Other_matches.html |title=Other matches played by Alfonso Thomas |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-19 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019035536/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10430/Other_matches.html |url-status=dead }} He made his second career century against Northerns, making 119*.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/75/75592.html |title=Scorecard: Northerns v North West in 2002/03 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-19}}

He moved to Northerns for the start of the 2003/04 season and had immediate success with 36 wickets in his eight SuperSport Series matches.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/RSA/SuperSport_Series_2003-04/Northerns_Bowling.html |title=Bowling for Northerns in SuperSport Series 2003/04 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-19}} His debut for the club, in which he took three wickets and three catches during Western Province's first innings to help restrict them to 173, was overshadowed by future Somerset teammate Charl Willoughby, who took 7/56 & 4/56 to earn himself man of the match.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/78/78198.html |title=Scorecard: Northerns v Western Province in 2003/04 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-19}} In the Standard Bank Cup, Thomas' 17 wickets{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/RSA/Standard_Bank_Cup_2003-04/Bowling_by_Wickets.html| title=Bowling in Standard Bank Cup 2003/04 (By Wickets)| publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-19}} helped the club finish third in the league, which saw them qualify for the semi-finals.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/RSA/2003-04_RSA_Standard_Bank_Cup_2003-04.html |title=Standard Bank Cup 2003/04 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-19 |archive-date=7 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907180605/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/RSA/2003-04_RSA_Standard_Bank_Cup_2003-04.html |url-status=dead }} The 2003/04 season also saw the introduction of Twenty20 cricket in South Africa in the form of the Standard Bank Pro20 Series. Thomas represented Titans, a re-branded team merging Northerns and Easterns. He finished the Pro20 season with five wickets from six matches, including three vital dismissals in the group match against Eagles, when he claimed the wickets of Eagles' top three batsmen in his first two overs, helping to lead his team to a 90 run victory.{{cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/79/79399.html |title=Scorecard: Eagles v Titans in 2003/04 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-19}}

Since then he has constantly represented South Africa A and was part of the Test tour to India, standing in for an injured André Nel.

He has represented South Africa in a Twenty20 International, taking 3/25

=English county career=

In August 2007, Thomas signed as Warwickshire's fourth overseas player of the season,{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/aug/17/cricket.sport |title=Van Jaarsveld takes five catches to hand Kent advantage |work=The Guardian |last=Averis |first=Mike |date=17 August 2007 |access-date=2009-10-14}} playing nine matches for them through August and September. The following summer, he signed for Somerset under the Kolpak ruling.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/apr/16/cricket.somersetccc |title=County Championship preview: Somerset |work=The Guardian |last=Averis |first=Mike |date=16 April 2008 |access-date=2009-10-14}} At the end of the 2015 season, it was announced that Thomas' contract with Somerset would not be renewed.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/34324076|title=BBC Sport - Alfonso Thomas: Veteran seamer leaving Somerset after eight years|date=22 September 2015 |publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=10 October 2015}}

==2009 Champions League Twenty20==

In their first match of the 2009 Champions League Twenty20, Thomas played a good lower-middle order innings to guide Somerset to a victory over Deccan Chargers. When Thomas came in, Somerset required 55 runs off the remaining 37 balls of the match. A record eighth wicket partnership for the club{{Cite web |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Twenty20/Somerset/Partnership_Records/Highest_Partnership_Each_Wicket_For.html |title=Highest Partnership for Each Wicket for Somerset |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2009-10-23}} meant that when James Hildreth lost his wicket from the first ball of the final over, Somerset needed five runs off as many balls. The following ball resulted in no score, and then the wicket of number ten Max Waller. This wicket allowed Thomas on strike, and he struck a boundary off the fourth ball of the over, and then after a near run out involving number eleven Charl Willoughby, Thomas hit another four from the final ball to grant Somerset the win.{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/t20champions2009/content/story/429110.html |title=Thomas and Hildreth down Deccan in humdinger |date=10 October 2009 |last=Veera |first=Sriram |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=2009-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091014114639/http://www.cricinfo.com/t20champions2009/content/story/429110.html |archive-date=14 October 2009 |url-status=live }}

=Australian domestic cricket=

Thomas was signed to the Adelaide Strikers for the inaugural 2011–12 season of the Big Bash League, as one of the franchise's two international players.[http://t20times.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1594%3Aalfonso-thomas-joins-adelaide-strikers&Itemid=292 Alfonso Thomas joins Adelaide Strikers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041152/http://t20times.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1594:alfonso-thomas-joins-adelaide-strikers&Itemid=292 |date=4 March 2016 }} – T20times. Retrieved 4 December 2012. He played in all of Adelaide's seven matches in the tournament (one of three players to do so), taking five wickets at an average of 35.40.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/15/KFC_Twenty20_Big_Bash_2011-12/Adelaide_Strikers_Bowling.html Bowling for Adelaide Strikers: KFC Twenty20 Big Bash 2011/12] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 December 2012. His best bowling figures during the tournament, 3/24, were taken in a loss to the Sydney Sixers at the Adelaide Oval.[http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/cricket/alfonso-thomas-pegs-sixers-to-152/story-e6frectl-1226241201449 Sixers roll fading Strikers] – AdelaideNow. Published 10 January 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012. Thomas did not re-sign with Adelaide for the 2012–13 season, instead signing with the Perth Scorchers as a replacement for Albie Morkel, who had not received a clearance from Cricket South Africa.[http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/cricket/perth-scorchers-sign-alfonso-thomas-as-albie-morkels-replacement/story-e6frectl-1226524874801 Perth Scorchers sign Alfonso Thomas as Albie Morkel's replacement] – AdelaideNow. Published 27 November 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012. In eight matches during the tournament, he took twelve wickets at an average of 14.91, leading Perth's wicket-taking and finishing fourth in the competition's wicket-taking, behind Ben Laughlin (14 wickets), Lasith Malinga, and Ben Cutting (both 13 wickets).[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/17/KFC_Twenty20_Big_Bash_2012-13/Bowling_by_Wickets.html Bowling in Big Bash League 2012/13 (ordered by wickets)] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 January 2013. Thomas' best figures, 4/8, were taken in the game against the Melbourne Renegades at the WACA Ground, which are also his best in all Twenty20 matches.[http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/shaun-marsh-alfonso-thomas-star-as-perth-scorchers-hammer-melbourne-renegades-at-waca-ground/story-e6frfkp9-1226545113232 Shaun Marsh, Alfonso Thomas star as Perth Scorchers hammer Melbourne Renegades at WACA Ground] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229170134/http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/shaun-marsh-alfonso-thomas-star-as-perth-scorchers-hammer-melbourne-renegades-at-waca-ground/story-e6frfkp9-1226545113232 |date=29 December 2012 }} – PerthNow. Published 29 December 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2013.

Coaching career

In February 2018, Thomas was appointed bowling coach for the West Indies.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22522290/alfonso-thomas-named-west-indies-bowling-coach |title=Alfonso Thomas named West Indies bowling coach |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=21 February 2018 |access-date=21 February 2018 }}

In February 2019, Thomas was appointed bowling coach for Hampshire.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/47210902 |title=Jimmy Adams and Alfonso Thomas named assistant coaches |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 February 2019 |access-date=20 February 2019 }}

Between 2016 and 2019 he was the cricket development lead and coach at the public school Downside School.

He was appointed head coach of Leicestershire County Cricket Club in November 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/67333771|title=Alfonso Thomas: Leicestershire name ex-South Africa seamer as permanent head coach|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 August 2024}}