Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Jordan Thompson is leaving his home county for Warwickshire this winter.
There will be tension, there will no doubt be nerves around this week as Yorkshire tackle a final-round scrap with Durham at Headingley to avoid relegation. But departing all-rounder Jordan Thompson knows all too well that there will be a lighter side as well.
Thompson, 28, is in line to play his final game for the county before a winter move to Warwickshire. The thought of that makes him “emotional”.
However, while there may be a few tears shed by the Pudsey St Lawrence product, there will also be plenty of laughs as he – alongside Kent-bound Matt Milnes – wave farewell from Wednesday onwards.
“The cricket will be first, but I think there will be a few bits going on in the changing room as well,” said Thompson with a smile. “The lads have got four more days with me, so I’m expecting it to be absolute carnage.
“There was a bit of banter in there (dressing room) last week.
“I’m usually the one at the forefront of it, but I might be on the receiving end. It might be my time to get a bit back.”
Just before we delve into deeper into Thompson’s time with Yorkshire, which is all he’s ever known, let’s touch on this week’s clash with Durham, which sees the hosts need 10 points to preserve their Division One status.
“We’ll back ourselves to get over the line,” he said. “We know what talent we’ve got in that dressing room.
Picture by Alex Davidson/Getty Images. Jordan Thompson bowled a stunning final over in the Vitality Blast quarter-final win over Surrey at the Oval in 2022, defending just five runs needed.
“We’ve had a couple of challenging weeks off the back of people being at The Hundred and the One-Day Comp, and things like that, and it’s just taken us a few days to get back into our stride.
“There was obviously a little bit of rain and weather around at Sussex and Somerset as well.
“It’s important we practice well and go into it with confidence.”
Thompson’s first recorded appearance for Yorkshire came as an Under 14 before moving through the age-groups, into the Academy and through to the first team, for whom he debuted in a Vitality Blast game at Worcester in July 2018.
He has gone on to make 153 competitive appearances for the county, scoring 2,872 runs and taking 286 wickets.
“The journey so far, I would say has been amazing,” continued Thompson.
“To play for my home county, and that’s what I wanted to do, sat in those stands at the T20 games with mum and dad saying, ‘Hopefully one day I’ll be doing that’.
“That’s exactly what I’ve gone on to do, nearly 100 times in T20s and nearly 70 times in first-class cricket.
Picture by Will Palmer/SWPix.com. Yorkshire’s captain, Steve Patterson, presents Jordan Thompson with his first team cap ahead of the Championship match against Surrey at Scarborough in 2022.
“So hopefully we can preserve our Division One status and I can help the team out in any way possible (this week) and finish on a high.”
Dubbed ‘the man that makes things happen’, Thompson has reflected upon a number of highlights.
He includes his first-class debut – a Championship draw against Surrey at Guildford in June 2019 – as one, his brilliant final over in the Vitality Blast quarter-final against the same opponent at the Oval in 2022 as another.
In 2021, he shared a remarkable 141 for the sixth wicket with Harry Brook to recover a Blast group game against Worcestershire at Headingley.
Promotion to Division One last season is another.
“There’s many to reel off,” he said.
“It would have been nice to top it off in T20 with that wicket to get to 100 and 1,000 runs for Yorkshire at Leicester this year, but it wasn’t to be. Hopefully I’ll be back some day to finish that off. But I’m looking forward to what the future holds.”
Amidst those highlights, there’s one which stands out above the rest.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Jordan Thompson celebrates a Vitality Blast victory last summer.
“Being capped (in 2022) was right up there,” he said. “Yeah, being capped at Scarborough is a special moment.
“That week against Surrey, I’d played pretty well in all formats leading up to that.
“Cap number 189, and for there to be only 189 up to that point in a 150-160 year history, it’s special. That cap is something I’ll cherish forever.”
Whatever happens against Durham this week, survive or succumb to relegation, you know one thing for certain. Jordan Thompson will be giving it absolutely everything to the cause.
And that’s how he would like to be remembered by Yorkshire supporters.
“I think just the fact that I’ve given 100 percent at all times,” he added. “I’ve never taken a backward step.
“I’m obviously very passionate about the team, about the fans and this club.
“Yeah, I’d like to be remembered as a competitor and somebody who can pull stuff out of the hat on occasions, someone who goes out there and tries to win games for Yorkshire.”
Picture by Stu Forster/Getty Images. Jordan Thompson discusses tactics with captain Jonny Bairstow earlier this summer.
