Scintillating Steve

Surrey’s Steve Davies is the new leader in the quest for this year’s Walter Lawrence Trophy with a 57-ball hundred, scored against Leicestershire in the LV= County Championship, Division 2 match on May 13. Finishing on an unbeaten 115, the 28-year-old left-handed batsman saw his side home to a thrilling 7-wicket victory in a veritable run-fest of 1,547 runs at The Oval, which included Kevin Pietersen’s monumental innings of 355 not out. Davies’ 77-minute century featured 9 fours and 4 sixes.

A former captain of England U.19s, Davies joined Surrey from Worcestershire at the end of the 2009 season and has represented England in 8 One-Day Internationals and 5 T20 Internationals.

Now in its 81st year, the Walter Lawrence Trophy, awarded for the fastest hundred of the season, is open to all domestic county competitions as well as One-Day Internationals, T20 Internationals and Test Matches in England.


‘Izzy’ Runs In The Family!

Isobel Joyce, the captain of Ireland Women, is the front runner in pursuit of this year’s Walter Lawrence Women’s Award. The 31-year-old all-rounder scored an unbeaten 127 in the opening round of the Royal London Women’s One-Day Cup against Worcestershire Women at Chester Road North, Kidderminster on May 3rd. Her quick-fire innings in the Division 2 match was made from 110 balls, including 20 fours, and provided the platform for a 126-run victory.

Born in Wicklow, ‘Izzy’ has represented Ireland in 1 Test, 67 One-Day Internationals and 39 T20s. She comes from a family genuinely steeped in cricket: her twin sister, Cecelia, plays along side her and her three brothers Ed, Dom and Gus have all played for Ireland. Ed, most notably, is the current captain of Sussex and Ireland, and has also played for England at One-Day and T20 level.


Lloyd’s Banker

Lloyd Sabin of Oxford MCCU has leapt into top spot for this year’s MCC Universities Award with a highly impressive innings of 216. The 20-year-old from Banbury, Oxfordshire, hit 23 fours and 7 sixes in his knock made from 258 balls, against Cambridge MCCU at Fenner’s on May 12. Sabin, in his third year at Oxford Brookes University, has also played for Oxfordshire Minor Counties (2010-14) and Middlesex 2nd XI.


The quartet of Walter Lawrence Trophy awards, supported by Veuve Clicquot, encompass four distinct areas of the game: the Walter Lawrence Trophy, for the fastest century of the season; the MCC Universities award for the highest score by a batsman from the six MCC Universities against the first-class counties or in the MCCU Championship; The Walter Lawrence Women’s Award for the batsman who makes the highest individual score in a season from the ECB Women’s County Championship, the ECB Women’s County T20 Cup and all England Women’s matches played on home soil, and, finally, the Walter Lawrence Schools Award for the highest score by a school batsman against MCC.