2023 – S A Abbott

Sean Abbott
Photograph: Surrey Cricket

Surrey’s Sean Abbott has won this year’s Walter Lawrence Trophy after blasting his way into the T20 record books with a scintillating 34-ball hundred. The 31-year-old all-rounder’s century, scored against Kent at The Kia Oval on May 26, equalled the fastest ever ton in Blast history, which was scored by the late Australian, Andrew Symonds, in 2004 and was also the joint-fourth fastest ever in T20 history.

Abbott entered the fray in the Vitality Blast match with Surrey on 62 for 4 after 8.2 overs, and with six overs to go they had only progressed to 118 for 5, Abbott by then having made 28 from 17 balls. Then the warm night suddenly got hotter as 17,000 spectators were treated to a spectacular exhibition of power hitting by Abbott, who smashed 72 runs off just 17 balls to reach his 34-ball hundred and put Surrey into a commanding position. Abbott, whose previous highest score in 76 T20 matches was 41, thrashed 30 off Aussie bowler, Kane Richardson, in the 18th over, and soared to his century with his 11th six of the innings. Abbott finished on an unbeaten 110, hoisting Surrey’s total to 223 for 5 which Kent, despite an impressive opening stand of 108, fell short of chasing by 41 runs. Interviewed after the match, a beaming Abbott declared: ‘This isn’t going to sink in for a while. My first Blast game at The Kia Oval in front of a home crowd! I haven’t batted that well, so it was nice to go out there and make the most of it. I had a little bit of luck – but, boy, that was a lot of fun.’

Abbott, who was born in Windsor, New South Wales, has represented his country in 17 One-Day Internationals and 12 T20 Internationals. He made his debut for New South Wales aged 18 and his consistent performances led to his international call-ups in 2014. A few weeks later tragedy struck as Abbott bowled the ball that fatally hit Phillip Hughes. Showing great strength of character he came back from the shocking incident remarkably well, taking 6 for 14 against Queensland on his return to first-class cricket, just 17 days later. In addition to Australia, NSW and Surrey, he has also represented Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers, Manchester Originals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Parramatta and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Sean is the ninth Australian to win the Trophy, following in the footsteps of George Tribe (1953), Tom Moody (1990), Darren Lehmann (2000), Ian Harvey (2001), Damien Martyn (2003), Marcus North (2007), Adam Gilchrist (2010) and Daniel Christian (2014). He is the first Surrey player to win the award since Alistair Brown in 1998 and received £2,500 plus a special medallion at the Walter Lawrence Trophy Presentation Dinner in the Long Room at Lord’s on November 1st.

Surrey v Kent scorecard
Sean Abbott’s career statistics

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