Cricket: Mattie Thomas – Cap no 658, 100 games

Ian Snook

1,696 runs. Highest score 101*. Average 22.15 / 173 wickets @ 18.00. Best: 7-59. 1x10 / 5x5

If the weather plays ball this weekend at the Chapple Cup in Palmerston North one of Taranaki cricket’s favourite sons, Mattie Thomas, will walk out for his 100^th appearance in the Taranaki colours on Sunday morning; hopefully in the final.

This will move him into a select group of centurions in Taranaki’s 131-year-old history. Brian Richards 141; Dean Robinson 126; Jamie Watkins 122; Alistar Jordan 104 and Ian Snook 103 are those who have previously achieved this feat.

Like those before him Thomas is a passionate Taranaki man.

Born in Hawera and nurtured by his father Dinny, Thomas played at a level well beyond his age from the early days. At eight he was playing with 12- and 13-year-olds. There were four years representing South Taranaki under 12’s, and he was selected in the Taranaki Under 13’s along with now Blackcap Will Young.

At under 13 level Mattie came across Debu Banik as his coach for the first time and it was Debu who turned him into a spin bowler rather than a medium pacer. They would work together over a long period with Banik later becoming Mattie’s Taranaki coach.

They were heady days, especially, along with brother Hadleigh, competing against Trent and Cody McGrath on the artificial pitch laid on the McGrath back lawn. Today finds Trent McGrath and Mattie playing alongside each other in the Taranaki side, something which has also happened in Hamilton and Holland.

Following one year at Hawera High School, where Mattie was selected as a year 9 in the 1st XI, with best bowling figures of 5-9 against Inglewood HS, the Thomas family moved to Hamilton for work.

There were four years in a strong Hamilton BHS 1st XI, a Gillette Cup win in 2008 against Westlake and beaten finalists in 2009 against Christchurch BHS.

During the same period Mattie represented both Hamilton and Northern Districts at Under 15, under 17 and under 19 levels.

In his first year out of school Mattie was off to Scotland to play for Heriots in the National League. Then it was back to Waikato University where he would achieve a Bachelor of Sports & Leisure and a post grad primary teaching degree.

During this time, he would play club cricket for Eastern Suburbs, again with Trent McGrath, with one season as a loan player for Poverty Bay.

In 2013 he made the step that confirmed he was really a Taranaki boy.

With Jamie Watkins reaching out to him he was back in New Plymouth to work for Taranaki cricket and chase a career in the sport he loved.

He was soon selected by Ali Jordan in the Taranaki squad and in the ensuing four off-seasons he would play in Holland, with McGrath; there were two seasons in Devon in England and a season in Scotland.

There was plenty of early Taranaki success in what were strong Taranaki lineups. The Furlong Cup was won in 2014 and 2019, gaining Hawke Cup challenges against Manawatu and Counties, with the Manawatu game rained off when Taranaki were well ahead, and the Counties game not even started owing to three days of rain. Rain and cricket – they are not a good mix.

The Chapple Cup was won in 2019, the same season that saw Thomas win the NZ Provincial player of the year, such was his form. This included his career best figures for Taranaki of 7-59 against Whanganui with his left-arm spinners.

On top of his game, Thomas was selected for five consecutive seasons in the Central Districts ‘A’ side, with one game for the Stags thrown in at his favourite Pukekura Park. Many locals will say he deserved a lot more.

Always a deep cricket thinker, Thomas captained Taranaki for six seasons, clocking up 50 games as the skipper. These were good times knowing that his responsibilities and influence in every game were determined not only with bat and ball, but how his mind worked. To this day he is a wise head amongst the group.

There were plenty of special times, special people, and great memories.

He played his whole career with Dean Robinson and has ended up as a best mate. He recalls with pride when the team were struggling along and he and Dean put on 120 for the ninth wicket, seeing Dean through to 100 and the team to an outright win.

He thought Dean’s 100 at the Chapple Cup in 2018/19 was one to be remembered. And of course there were many team successes with Dean just last season.

Jamie Watkins has been the biggest influence on Mattie’s cricketing career, inviting him to the province in the first instance, playing for Taranaki for two seasons together, playing at NPOB, and being a guiding hand.

Thomas’s main enjoyment over the last five seasons has been his contribution to the success of Liam Carr, Ben Frewin and Jordy Gard both at NPOB but also as emerging stars for Taranaki and in the Central Districts set-up.

He will hit 100 games with the same passion he has always had playing for Taranaki.

This is the same passion that those centurions who have gone before him had to the game and the province.

Congratulations Mattie Thomas