A Delport Onslaught

Cameron Delport of Essex has stormed into the lead for this year’s Walter Lawrence Trophy with a 38-ball century scored on the second night of this season’s Vitality Blast T20 competition, at Chelmsford on July 19. The 30-year-old South African, who holds a British passport, put Surrey to the sword finishing his innings on 129, scored off 49 balls and including 7 fours and 14 sixes. On a drizzly evening, with the match shortened to 15 overs per side, Delport and his partner, Dan Lawrence, flayed the Surrey attack for 135 runs for the fourth wicket in just 6.5 overs. Essex’s total of 226-4 proved too much for Surrey who fell short by 52 runs.

Delport, who bats left-handed but bowls right-arm medium, is a global hired-gun in T20 competitions. He joined Essex on a two-year contract this season following two seasons with Leicestershire in 2017/18. The Durban-born all-rounder made his first-class debut in 2009 and T20 debut in 2010, and in the ensuing period has represented a lengthy list of teams, including South Africa A, Sydney Thunder, Chittagong Vikings, Islamabad United, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Lahore Qalanders, Kolkata Knight Riders and Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel.

Now in its 85th 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.

Essex v Surrey scorecard
Cameron Delport’s career statistics

Knight Moves Ahead

England captain Heather Knight has taken up top spot in the challenge for this year’s Walter Lawrence Women’s Award after scoring a sparkling unbeaten 159 for Berkshire against Cricket Wales. Knight’s innings, which was scored off 125 balls and included 15 fours and 1 six, saw her side home by 3 wickets after chasing down Wales’ total of 232 for 9 in the Division 2 match at Pontarddulais CC on May 26.

Knight, who won the Walter Lawrence Women’s Award in 2013 with a score of 157 for England against Australia, has been an England regular since her debut in 2010 and attained the captaincy in 2016. The 28-year-old all-rounder led her country to a thrilling win in the first ever Women’s World Cup, which climaxed with a nail-biting victory over India at Lord’s. Following the team’s success she was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s 2018 New Years Honours list and in April 2018 was named one of the five Wisden Cricketers Of The Year.

To date she has played in 7 Tests, 98 One-Day Internationals and 60 T20 Internationals and has recently been involved in England Women’s forlorn attempt to win back the Ashes from Australia.

Batchelor Batters Cardiff

Oliver Batchelor of Leeds/Bradford MCCU has taken over pole position for this year’s MCC Universities Award with a mighty 215 not out, scored against Cardiff MCCU in the 3-day drawn match at Usk CC on April 25. During his remarkable innings, which included 29 fours and 1 six, he shared a 3rd-wicket stand of 247 with Ben Pearson and helped his side post a total of 458 for 5 declared.

The 22-year-old right-handed batsman, who was born in Chelsea and educated at Charterhouse School, has played for Surrey at Under 13, Under 14, Under 15, Under 17 and 2nd XI level.

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 One-Day 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.