After a first taste of state cricket, South Australian Campbell Thompson now wants to make his mark on a team eyeing a Sheffield Shield three-peat
As a nine-year-old, South Australian Campbell Thompson remembers sitting in the Adelaide Oval stands when fellow left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson tore through England’s batting order on December 7, 2013.
Once inspired by the hostile quick’s heroic first-innings figures of 7-40, it would be fitting that nearly 12 years later, Thompson’s own seven-wicket haul in SA’s premier 50-over competition would catapult his rise up the ranks.
Playing for his beloved East Torrens District Cricket Club, the Adelaide Hills product backed up his 7-31 against Prospect with match figures of 8-122 against ACT for the state’s second XI side in November. He was then selected in a Prime Minister’s XI fixture against England prior to the Ashes, taking the wicket of prized scalp, Jacob Bethell.
Just a few months later the now 22-year-old Thompson had One-Day Cup and Sheffield Shield caps to complete a breakthough season.
“I feel like this year has really ramped up in what I’ve been able to achieve,” Thompson said to cricket.com.au in March.
“I was also on a (rookie) contract last year and I had a few injuries that made me miss the first half of last season. Since the 7-fa… to have an opportunity in the One-Day Cup and Shield was amazing.”
While the swing bowler impressed in his first outings across both competitions, it was his opening spell in Shield cricket to former Australian Test opener Usman Khawaja where Thompson showcased his talents to the domestic cricket scene.
His first four overs in first-class cricket were maidens, with every single delivery bowled to one of the nation’s finest batters, whom he managed to dismiss in the second innings to help South Australia claim a crucial seven-wicket win at the Gabba.
Reflecting on the most important spell of his career to date, Thompson said it was a memorable morning in Brisbane that he didn’t necessarily see coming.
“I didn’t find out until about nine o’clock on day one that I was actually playing,” Thompson said.
“It was raining up in Brissy, so the wicket was covered and we didn’t have a chance to finalise the XI. Once I got the ball in my hand… it was an awesome experience.
“(Usman) is obviously such a good player and just recently retired, so I was just trying to take it all in while I was out there. I was still trying to compete, but at the same time it was quite amazing as I’d watched guys like him growing up. He’d just played in the Ashes series and now I’m playing against him. It was a cool experience.”