Frank Leslie Oliver Thorn (16 August 1912 – 11 February 1942) was an Australian cricketer. He played seven first-class cricket matches for Victoria between 1937 and 1939.[1]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Frank Leslie Oliver Thorn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1912-08-16)16 August 1912 St Arnaud, Victoria, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 11 February 1942(1942-02-11) (aged 29) Gasmata, New Britain, Territory of New Guinea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium-pace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1937–1939 | Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 17 December 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thorn was a medium-paced bowler who dismissed Don Bradman for five in the Sheffield Shield when Bradman was aiming to hit a world-record seventh consecutive first-class century in 1938–39.[2][3] He had taken 5 for 111 and 5 for 74 against Tasmania earlier in the same season.[4]
Thorn joined the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1941.[5] He was a member of a bomber's crew that crashed during a mission to bomb Japanese destroyers at Gasmata harbour in New Britain in February 1942. The plane's wreckage was not found for more than 60 years.[2]