Damien Martyn wins the 2003 Walter Lawrence Trophy

Damien Martyn's 65-ball hundred for Yorkshire against Gloucestershire at Headingley on 17 September has gained him AON's £5,000 prize and the Walter Lawrence Trophy.

The 31-year-old Australian was recruited by Yorkshire only after Stephen Fleming and Yuvraj Singh had been recalled home for national duty. Playing only his second innings in county cricket - his first had ended on 87 when he was forced to retire with a broken nose - Martyn took just 93 minutes to complete his hundred, hitting a six and 15 fours. He needed only 63 more balls to reach the fastest 200 of the season, six balls quicker than Ian Blackwell's double hundred for Somerset against Derbyshire at Taunton a week earlier.

Martyn’s century eclipsed Bilal Shafayat's tally for Nottinghamshire by eight balls. Scored on the second day of the season, Bilal’s worthy effort had remained in pole position for nearly five months.

Martyn has been confirmed as one of Yorkshire's overseas players for 2004. In 33 Tests he has scored exactly 2,000 runs, average 46.51, with five hundreds, while his 126 limited-overs internationals have produced 3,025 runs, average 42.60, with four centuries.

Martyn is the first Darwin-born player to win the Lawrence Trophy, the third Australian after Tom Moody (1990) and Darren Lehmann (2000) to do so, and the third after Chris Old (1977) and Lehmann to win it during a match for Yorkshire. It is the first time that the winning century has been scored at Headingley. Martyn said, “It is one of my best innings. Test match hundreds are always special but this was definitely up there with them."

Last year’s winner, Matthew Fleming (off 66 balls) will be presenting the Trophy and a cheque for £5000 to this year’s winner at a ceremonial dinner in the Long Room at Lord’s on 30 September.

Richard Stilgoe will also receive a cheque for £6000, from Aon Ltd., supporters of the Trophy, on behalf of the Lord’s Taverners.

Instituted in 1934, the Walter Lawrence Trophy is awarded to the batsman who scores the fastest century off the fewest balls received in all first-class cricket each season.

96 journalists’ entered the Walter Lawrence Trophy annual competition to predict this year’s fastest century and Ladbrokes have now opened a book for this award!

Further information on the Walter Lawrence Trophy, together with the previous winners’ listings and winners of the journalists’ 2003 competition to predict this year’s fastest century can be viewed on; www.walterlawrencetrophy.com