Considered by many in the sport to be the fastest bowler of all time, "Thommo" hosted a meet and greet at the Overlander Hotel.. 

Cricket lovers of the north west were invited to bring their bats and balls along to be signed by the pace bowling great.

“I love being out in the bush, you just meet good people,” Thommo said. 

“I had a good time when I played, and I like having a good time so I come out and entertain and have a bit of fun. 

“I can’t buy my own beer here,” he laughed. 

Thommo’s tip for keen local cricketers is to train harder than everyone else. 

“If you train harder and longer you will be better. The only way you get good is by practicing more than the other bloke.”

Cricket fan Neil Fowkes was “thrilled” to share a beer with the pace bowler. 

“I based my bowling style on his,” Mr Fowkes said. 

His friend Peter McQueen was just as starstruck. 

“I am big cricket fan from way back,” Mr McQueen said. 

"He is a great guy, he is just one of the guys, so down to earth.”

Locals heard a few tales about how Thommo scared the pants off batsmen with his thunderbolts in the days before wearing helmets was standard practice.

With an unusual slinging action and an aggressive approach, he was a fearsome sight to batsmen in the 1970s, along with his bowling partner Dennis Lillee.

In the 51 Test matches he played for Australia, Thomson managed a massive 200 wickets with an average of 28.

Thomson played his final Test against England from August 15-20, 1985.

He became one of just 43 players from the almost 140-year history of Australian cricket to be inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2016.

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