Premier Cricket: After a frustrating wait, Ringwood Cricket Club’s Michael Topp claims his 200th scalp
It took a while, even his mates were getting stuck into him about the delay, but Ringwood’s Michael Topp finally claimed his 200th victim in Premier Cricket.
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When Ringwood’s Michael Topp got one to nip back between bat and pad to castle Dandenong’s Jacques Augustin at Shepley Oval last Saturday it was one wicket in a slump of 4-7 that threatened to bowl the Rams back into a one-dayer.
But the 27-year-old medium pacer was swamped by his teammates with celebrations just a little more exuberant than they normally would be for a Saturday afternoon scalp.
Stranded on 198 career wickets since early December, Topp finally nabbed the two he needed to raise the ball for his double-century.
“It was a long time coming in the end,” he laughed. “I think Davo (David King) and I were level at the start of the year, he got them pretty early and I had to wait a bit.
“A few of my mates got stuck into me about how long it was taking.
“It feels like a long time when you look back and think ‘Geez, I was still playing junior cricket when I first started (with Ringwood)’.”
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When he first crossed to the club from the FTGDCA as a 17-year-old, Topp was a tearaway quick who was to lead the Rams attack for the decade that followed.
In recent years, older and wiser, he’s slowed his pace a little and become a handy exponent of old ball bowling.
These days its more guile, cunning and a touch of reverse than dynamiting batsmen out.
“It’s more been my role in the team,” Topp said. “Having Matt (Fotia) and Zac Evans, they are the quicker ones these days. As my role changes, you have to adapt as you get on.”
That his teammates swamped him so enthusiastically, as Augustin walked from the centre wicket on Saturday, was as much about how tough the road has been as the 200th wicket itself.
Put simply, Topp really deserved it.
Twice he played in a Ringwood grand final defeat, against Melbourne and Fitzroy Doncaster, and when the Rams raised the trophy in 2014/15 he was injured twice during the season and carried the drinks for the decider.
“I broke my foot at the start of the season and then in the last game before the finals I dislocated my finger going for a catch,” he said.
“It just makes me more determined to hang around and not be 12th man in a premiership year, to really be a contributing player.”
Despite the disappointment of missing grand final wins, not once has Topp considered hanging up his Ringwood cap.
“I’ve loved cricket since I started,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve played a full season in four or five years now. But I have so many good mates at Ringwood that it makes me want to keep playing on.”