Jeff Thomson to be inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame

 Former tearaway fast bowler Jeff Thomson will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at the Allan Border Medal dinner here on Wednesday.

Thomson, 65, will be handed the honour 20 years after his one-time fearsome bowling partner Dennis Lillee was part of the original intake of 10. Wicketkeeper Wally Grout, who died at 41 in 1968, will be inducted alongside Thomson, bringing the membership to 41. Thomson played 50 Tests between 1972 and 1985, taking 200 wickets, the sixth most at the time. He is now 15th on the Australian list, with Lillee -- with whom he opened the bowling for most of his career -- in third place with 355.

Thomson also played 50 one-dayers for another 55 scalps. Grout played 51 Tests between 1957 and 1966, catching 163 batsmen and stumping 24 and averaging 15.08 with the bat. He still shares the record of eight catches in a Sheffield Shield innings with former Victorian captain Darren Berry.