VSDCA 2024-25: Bayswater’s Michael Topp takes record-breaking 9-65 wicket haul

Bayswater’s Michael Topp thought he was going to be in for a long day. What followed was a record-breaking wicket haul. The former Premier man opens up on the feat ...

VSDCA 2024-25: Bayswater's Michael Topp after a record 9-65 on Saturday. Picture: Bayswater CC

‘When it rains, it pours’, as the adage goes.

It would also be the sage advice of Bayswater keeper Jordy Ludgater to former Premier quick Michael Topp after a lean start to the season.

What followed was a club-record 9-65 haul off 21 overs in day one against Coburg on Saturday.

“That’s what the keeper had been saying to me the last few weeks – it just hadn’t been working, there were a couple of dropped catches, ones in the air that just go wide of fielders and I think I barely got a wicket a game for the first five games,” Topp said.

But as his former Ringwood teammate Ludgater promised, it poured. Coburg fell for 214.

“When I got the third one (on Saturday), he said: ‘I told ya!’,” Topp said.

“It was three balls that probably weren’t going to get wickets, but they did. I think that was the nice little start (I needed) … the first few wickets were all quite lucky.”

Two hat-tricks, six clean-bowled, two LBWs and one caught-behind formed a collection of three ducks – two golden – and the scalps of top-order pair Kevin Noronha (6) and keeper Osian Catlin (duck) within three balls of each other in the sixth over, before the consecutive wickets of opener Sidney Thomson (26) and middle-order bat Noah Thain (golden duck) in the 10th.

Topp admits his confidence hadn’t been brimming to start the day: “Quite the opposite”, in fact.

“The first ball of the game got clipped over mid-wicket for four, about two bounces into the fence,” he said.

“I thought ‘I could be in for a long day here’ … 36 degrees, flat wicket and they’re taking it to me already.

“I hadn’t had much luck so far this year.”

The former Ringwood and Northcote paceman equalled his personal-best when the sixth wicket tumbled, but the Bayswater club record – a seven-fa taken by none other than president Darryl Stranger – hung by a thread.

“I think I’d taken maybe four six-fas, a couple in Premier Cricket and two when I was playing over in England as well,” Topp said.

“When I got to six, I was like ‘I’ve done it again’ … then the last few wickets were all just ‘What’s happening and how is this happening?!’”

Stranger watched on as Topp edged closer to eclipsing his record.

“He was on the balcony watching – and one of our mates who plays in the seconds came down and had a few beers, and was yelling out each wicket that I was getting closer,” Topp said.

“I’d equalled the record with seven and I’d bowled 20 overs at that point, and said to (captain-coach) Jason (Kilby): ‘I need a bit of a break, give me a few overs off and hopefully the boys can clean it up’.

“I think Darryl was happy with that as his record was still intact. After the game, he said: ‘When you came back on for the last spell, it was always going to happen.’”

Eyebrows raised when Topp – then on Northcote’s books – was a surprise addition to the Waters a few rounds into last season.

He took more than 250 First XI wickets across some 15 years with Ringwood and Northcote.

Twelve months on from his shock move, the 32-year-old hasn’t looked back.

Topp in action for Northcote. Photo: Hamish Blair

“The start of last season I think I was just mentally and physically worn out (at Premier level),” he said.

“I had the first month of the year off then decided in Round 4 that I was going to play at Bayswater with Jase (Kilby) and Jake Wigney who’s one of my really good mates.

“I think before that we’d played six games of cricket together in our whole lives, so it was perfect for me.

“It (Premier Cricket) is a big commitment. I wanted to step down and have a bit less of a mental load with cricket and not think about the stress and strain.

“I’ve loved (Bayswater) – it’s a great club, it’s got a really good history, and when some of your best mates are there, it’s a really nice place to rock up to.”

Bayswater put up 1-49 by stumps in reply on Saturday, with the heavy-hitting Rishi Patel driving 41 runs before his dismissal at the hands of Burgers’ captain Hamza Ali. Topp is in as nightwatchman.