(1964-02-25) 25 February 1964 (age 60) Canterbury, Kent, England
Nickname
Toppers
Batting
Right-handed
Bowling
Right-arm medium-fast
Role
Bowler
Relations
Reece Topley (son) Peter Topley (brother)
Domestic team information
Years
Team
1984–1985
Norfolk
1985
Surrey
1985–1994
Essex
1987/88
Griqualand West
Career statistics
Competition
First-class
List A
Matches
120
158
Runs scored
1,693
452
Batting average
15.53
9.04
100s/50s
0/4
0/0
Top score
66
38*
Balls bowled
19,422
7,428
Wickets
367
197
Bowling average
27.64
26.39
5 wickets in innings
15
2
10 wickets in match
2
0
Best bowling
7/75
6/33
Catches/stumpings
70/–
32/–
Source: CricInfo, 28 August 2011
Thomas Donald Topley (born 25 February 1964) is an English former professional cricketer.
Initially employed as an MCC Young Professional at Lord's in 1984, he was selling scorecards one minute, and then the next fielding as 12th man substitute fielder for the 1984 Lord´s Test match involving England vs West Indies. It was during this game that Topley gained notoriety for a splendid one handed catch on the boundary from a shot by Malcolm Marshall that didn´t count as his foot was on the boundary rope.[1] Topley played for Norfolk, Surrey and Griqualand West, as well as his 10-year career with Essex.
As a right-arm medium-fast bowler, Topley took 564 wickets at the top level of county cricket before being released from his contract in 1994, whereupon he made accusations that two 1991 county matches were fixed.[2] Together with Guy Lovell, Topley took part in an interview with the Sunday Mirror stating that during matches against Lancashire, Essex were approached by the opposing team and accepted their offer of throwing one match in the Sunday League in return for Lancashire throwing the two sides' next encounter in the County Championship. The Test and County Cricket Board reported that they had found no substance to the revelations.[3]
Topley was also an international coach with Zimbabwe from 1990 to 1992, after spending many winters playing and coaching all over southern Africa. In this capacity he helped Zimbabwe to upset England in a group match at the 1992 Cricket World Cup, placing him in the unusual position of helping to defeat England's captain Graham Gooch who was also his county captain at Essex.[1] This match occurred between Gooch and Topley combining on the same side in Essex's triumphs in the County Championship in 1991 and 1992. Being an alumnus of the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk, he returned there after his career as Master i/c cricket. His brother, Peter Topley, had a brief career for Kent and his son, Reece Topley, is a left-arm fast-bowler who has played for Essex, Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey and the England one-day team.[2]
Today Topley commentates on the domestic game of cricket, and is often found on the after dinner speaking circuit. Topley also hosts overseas supporters' cricket tours following the England team.
^ ab"Best actors in a supporting role". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
^ ab"Player Profile: Don Topley". CricInfo. ESPN. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
^Williamson, Martin (17 February 2007). "If it ain't fixed ..." CricInfo. ESPN. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
Thomas Donald Topley (born 25 February 1964) is an English former professional cricketer. Initially employed as an MCC Young Professional at Lord's in...
in Ipswich. He was educated at the Royal Hospital School. His father, DonTopley, was a first-class cricketer for Essex and Surrey. His father was also...
Topley may refer to: Surname: DonTopley (born 1964), former English cricketer Lady Sophia Topley (born 1957), daughter of the 11th Duke of Devonshire...
Peter Aland Topley (born 29 August 1950) is a former English cricketer. Topley was a right-handed batsman who bowled slow left-arm orthodox. He was born...
Oceanographer, Hydrographic surveyor and Navigator DonTopley (1964–)- Essex CCC and coach of Zimbabwe. Reece Topley (1994–), England cricketer Admiral Sir Henry...
2007. "Emburey not interested in Indian coaching job". 14 June 2007. "DonTopley: We may need to look again at early season county cricket schedules"....
brief playing career, Lovell became a plumber in Lancashire. Alongside DonTopley, he later alleged that the match he played in between Lancashire and Essex...
NatWest Trophy. In this match he scored 21 runs before being dismissed by DonTopley. "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Colin Knight". CricketArchive...
Titmus Matthew Todd (2003) : M. J. Todd DonTopley (1985) : T. D. Topley Reece Topley (2020) : R. J. W. Topley Gareth Townsend (1995) : G. T. J. Townsend...
NatWest Trophy. He scored 12 runs in this match, before being dismissed by DonTopley. "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Richard Dreyer". CricketArchive...
may refer to: Quixotism, deriving from the novel Don Quixote Quixotic (album), an album by Martina Topley-Bird Quix*o*tic, a Washington D.C.–based rock band...
Topley Landing Provincial Park is a provincial park near Topley Landing in British Columbia, Canada. Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000...
also appear to a family member in a dream and request a spouse. Marjorie Topley, in "Ghost Marriages Among the Singapore Chinese: A Further Note," relates...
by an eclectic mix of artists, including hip-hop artist MF Doom, Martina Topley-Bird Suicide, and The Stooges. Most of the tracks were recorded together...
Jason Cox, and James Dring, it features De La Soul, Neneh Cherry, Martina Topley-Bird, Roots Manuva, MF Doom, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Shaun...
(1964) Wallace Lacy Chadwick (1965) William Joseph Hedley (1966) Earle Topley Andrews (1967) Richard Henry Tatlow III (1968) Frank Hastings Newnam Jr...
Stuart River Sutherland River Takla Lake Marine Tazdli Wyiez Bin/Burnie-Shea Topley Landing Trembleur Lake Tweedsmuir North Tweedsmuir South Tyhee Lake Uncha...
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