High-Flyin’ Ryan!

Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate has thrown down the gauntlet in the battle for this season’s Walter Lawrence Trophy, eclipsing the overnight leader, Tom Maynard’s 66-baller, with a 59-ball hundred. The 29-year-old smashed 5 fours and 7 sixes during his century in the victory over Derbyshire at Leek, in the Clydesdale Bank 40 match on May 3rd.

Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, ten Doeschate joined Essex in 2003 and, through his Dutch ancestry, has represented Netherlands in 26 One-Day Internationals

Now enjoying its 76th year, the Trophy, awarded for the fastest hundred of the season, is open to all domestic county competitions, including the Clydesdale Bank 40 and Friends Provident T20 limited-over games, as well as One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals, all eligible alongside those scored in the County Championship and Test Matches in England.

The leader for this season’s award for the highest innings by a batsman from the six MCC Universities, scored against one of the other five MCCUs or against one of the first-class counties, is Rory Burns of Cardiff MCCU. Burns hit a scorching 230 not out, scored off 345 balls and including 23 fours and 4 sixes, in the MCC Universities Championship game against Oxford MCCU at The Parks on April 27.