Darren Thomas

Stuart Darren Thomas (born 25 January 1975) is a former Welsh cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler.

Having first achieved notability taking a five-wicket haul against Derbyshire at the age of 17, Thomas took his chance at a place in the England youth team, and continued to bowl well through to 1995, at which point he suffered a dip in form which lasted until he regained his form in 1998, finishing top of the wicket-taking stakes with 81 wickets at an average of 24. He bowled an innings of 7 for 16, a record for Glamorgan, and was offered a chance to play for England A against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Thomas was part of the Glamorgan side which won the county's first County Championship in 28 years in 1997, taking 44 wickets at 26.36,[1] including 5 for 38 in the fixture against Somerset which clinched the title.[2]

He became the leading wicket taker in 2000 and recorded his first ten-wicket haul in a match against Durham in 2002.[3]

In 2007, after fifteen years with Glamorgan, he joined Essex County Cricket Club. However, a shoulder injury sustained in February of that year prevented his playing even once for the first team, and in September he announced his retirement.[4]