Essex teenager Daniel Lawrence shatters records against Surrey
Wednesday 29 April 2015 15:27, UK
Daniel Lawrence broke three County Championship records against Surrey on Tuesday on a day to remember for the 17-year-old.
As well as becoming Essex’s youngest centurion, Lawrence’s 161 also made him the third-youngest player to score a County Championship hundred and the youngest to do so at The Oval.
Lawrence, still 75 days short of his 18th birthday, completed his maiden first-class century well before lunch after resuming on 48 not out in Essex's overnight 266-2, in reply to Surrey's first innings of 340.
He lofted Ansari straight for six for the second time in his innings early in the morning session, and had also struck 11 fours in a superb hundred that took him 146 balls.
A product of Essex's Academy and age group teams, Lawrence represents Chingford in the Essex Premier League and spent last winter winning a player-of-the-season award at a cricket club in Victoria, Australia.
He made his Championship and first-class debut against Kent at Chelmsford last week after impressing in Essex's pre-season matches.
Lawrence left school, the Trinity Catholic High School in Woodford Green, last summer to concentrate on his cricket.
He said: "It was quite an easy decision for me to leave after just one year of the sixth form. I did my AS Levels but, in that last school year, I wasn't really into my school work and I just wanted to go and play cricket. I went to Australia last winter, which was a great experience, and now I'm getting my chance with Essex.
"When I hit the cover drive off Ansari on 96 I knew it was going for four and I could start celebrating. It was a great feeling. I've had quite a few messages already, especially from my old school friends.
"I don't have many heroes in the game, but I suppose AB de Villiers would be my favourite batsman. At Essex we have some great players too - like Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara and Jesse Ryder - and they have all been fantastic to me.
"All the coaches at Essex have been great, and the bowlers like David Masters and Graham Napier have also helped me a lot by telling me how they would look to get me out and things like that. It really helps to know how they think.”
