Don Topley
Encyclopedia
Thomas Donald Topley known as Don Topley or Toppers is a former English
cricket
er. Employed with the ground staff at Lord's Cricket Ground
in London
in 1984, he was recruited as a substitute fielder for one Test match involving England, before a brief appearance for Norfolk and Surrey led to a 10-year career with Essex, while supplementing his income during the off-season period as a postman. As a right-arm medium-fast bowler, Topley took 464 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. 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 side's next encounter in the County Championship
. The Test and County Cricket Board reported that they had found no substance to the revelations, and Topley was severely ostracised by his former team-mates after the interview.
Topley was also a coach in Zimbabwe
from 1990 to 1992, and, being an alumnus of the Royal Hospital School
in Suffolk
, returned there after his career to coach cricket. His brother, Peter Topley, had a brief career for Kent and his son, Reece Topley
, is a left-arm fast-bowler for Essex and England U-19s.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. Employed with the ground staff at Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1984, he was recruited as a substitute fielder for one Test match involving England, before a brief appearance for Norfolk and Surrey led to a 10-year career with Essex, while supplementing his income during the off-season period as a postman. As a right-arm medium-fast bowler, Topley took 464 wickets at the top level of county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
before being released from his contract in 1994, whereupon he made accusations that two 1991 county matches were fixed. Together with Guy Lovell, Topley took part in an interview with the Sunday Mirror
Sunday Mirror
The Sunday Mirror is the Sunday sister paper of the Daily Mirror. It began life in 1915 as the Sunday Pictorial and was renamed the Sunday Mirror in 1963. Trinity Mirror also owns The People...
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
Sunday League
Sunday League may refer to:*Sunday league football, amateur football played on Sundays in the United Kingdom.*The Sunday League, the precursor tournament to the National League in English cricket....
in return for Lancashire throwing the two side's next encounter in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
. The Test and County Cricket Board reported that they had found no substance to the revelations, and Topley was severely ostracised by his former team-mates after the interview.
Topley was also a coach in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
from 1990 to 1992, and, being an alumnus of the Royal Hospital School
Royal Hospital School
The Royal Hospital School, , is a British co-educational independent boarding school with naval traditions. It admits pupils from age 11 to 18 through Common Entrance or the school's own exam...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, returned there after his career to coach cricket. His brother, Peter Topley, had a brief career for Kent and his son, Reece Topley
Reece Topley
Reece James William Topley is an English cricketer. Topley is a right-handed batsman who bowls left-arm medium-fast. He was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and was educated at the Royal Hospital School....
, is a left-arm fast-bowler for Essex and England U-19s.