A Taylor-Made Ton

Leicestershire’s James Taylor has leapt to the top of the leader-board in the chase for this year’s Walter Lawrence Trophy, awarded for the fastest hundred of the season. The 21-year-old hit an 85-ball century, which included 8 fours, in the Clydesdale Bank 40 Group B match, against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on May 1st. Taylor, who was voted Young Cricketer of The Year in 2009 and has represented England U.19s and England Lions, took poll position after a hot and busy Clydesdale Bank 40 afternoon in which the lead changed three times. Firstly, Nottinghamshire opener Alex Hales posted a 93-ball hundred against Essex at Chelmsford, only to be overtaken by Aussie batsman Tom Cooper, who cracked an 87-ball century for Netherlands against Middlesex at Lord’s. Ironically, despite their efforts all three rapid hundreds proved in vain as their respective teams were all narrowly beaten!

Now in its 77th year, the Trophy 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.

With the arrival of touring sides India and Sri Lanka, the flashing blades of big-hitters like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, along with new imports like Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi at Hampshire, should add plenty of spice to an enthralling season, which concludes with the Clydesdale Bank 40 Final at Lord’s on Saturday, September 17.

Park Drives Ahead
The battle for the Walter Lawrence Trophy award for the highest-scoring batsman from the six MCC Universities is hotting up. Early leader Ed Young’s 133 for Oxford MCCU, against Lancashire at The Parks on April 3, was bettered on April 22 by Leeds/Bradford MCCU’s Alex Blake, who hit a blistering 146 off only 114 balls against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl.

However, Blake’s score was soon eclipsed by Craig Park, who made a hefty 191 for Cambridge against Loughborough in the MCCU Championship match at Loughborough on April 25. Park, a 25-year-old right-hander, who was born in South Africa, smote 25 fours and 3 sixes in his innings.

A Big Hit For Schools!
This season the trustees of the Walter Lawrence Trophy are delighted to announce the launch of a new award for the highest score by a school batsman against MCC.

Included in its all-embracing season of more than 450 out-matches throughout the U.K. and beyond, MCC play against over 280 schools this summer. The Walter Lawrence Trophy has put up a £250 award for the highest schools’ scorer against MCC from these matches. The winner will also receive a special medallion and an invitation, with his or her parents, to the traditional end-of-season presentation dinner in the Long Room at Lord’s.