Ian Thomas was the first Glamorgan player to score a century in Twenty20 cricket. His explosive 116* against Somerset at Taunton in 2004 was also the first televised century in the all-action competition.
The left-handed batter and off-spinner progressed from Machen CC to Welsh age-group teams and the Glamorgan 2nd XI. After recovering from a severe back injury, Ian made his first-class debut in 1998 against Cambridge University at Fenner’s. After a highly productive season for the county’s second string, he made his Championship debut during 2000 and struck 82 against Essex at Southend. His efforts secured a place on Glamorgan’s full-time staff for 2001, and after finishing his university studies, Ian became the county’s regular opening batter in white-ball games during 2002.
His free-scoring batting was to the fore as the Welsh county won the One-Day League in both 2002 and 2004, besides during the latter season helping the Welsh county secure a place at T20 Finals Day. Ian began the 2005 season as the county`s opening batsman in both the Championship and one-day games, but he subsequently lost form and with the Club opting to hire Australian openers, including Mark Cosgrove and Jimmy Maher, Ian was released from the county’s staff.
Ian subsequently worked for the ECB as a player’s lifestyle and career mentor and he has subsequently taken on a similar welfare role working for the Professional Cricketers Association.
THOMAS, Ian James
Born – Newport, 9th May 1979.
Best performances for Glamorgan:
In first-class cricket – 82 v Essex at Southchurch Park, Southend, 2000; 1/26 v Nottinghamshire at Colwyn Bay, 2002.
In List A cricket – 93 v Durham Cricket Board at Darlington, 2003; 1/24 v Suffolk at Bury St. Edmund’s, 2005.
In T20 cricket – 116* v Somerset at Taunton, 2004; 1/5 v Warwickshire at Edgbaston, 2003.
| M | I | NO | RUNS | AV | 100 | 50 | CT | ST | |
| First-class | 32 | 54 | 4 | 1070 | 21.40 | – | 6 | 21 | – |
| List A | 45 | 45 | 4 | 1134 | 27.65 | – | 6 | 14 | – |
| T20 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 250 | 19.23 | 1 | – | 7 | – |
| Balls | M | R | W | AV | 5wI | 10wM | |
| First-class | 61 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 38.00 | – | – |
| List A | 102 | 1 | 84 | 2 | 42.00 | – | – |
| T20 | 42 | 0 | 63 | 2 | 31.50 | – | – |