Paul Stirling wins Walter Lawrence Trophy for T20 Blast ton this year

Paul Stirling plays a shot against Northants in T20 Blast 2022

Irish warhorse Paul Stirling has won the Walter Lawrence Trophy for smacking the fastest century this T20 Blast season. Playing for the Birmingham Bears, the cricketer raced to a hundred off just 46 deliveries against the Northants Steelbacks.

The Walter Lawrence Trophy, launched in 1934, is given to a cricketer who scores the fastest ton in an English season calendar. The centuries scored in County Championship, T20 Blast, The Hundred, One-Day Cup and even Tests, ODIs and T20Is are all taken into consideration before rewarding the batter.

Paul Stirling picks up the silver

Ireland’s attacking stroke-maker signed in with the Warwickshire Cricket Club earlier this year. Representing the club’s T20 side, the Birmingham Bears, the cricketer whacked 119 off just 51 balls against Northamptonshire in Birmingham back in May.

Stirling clubbed nine boundaries and 10 sixes in the innings, including five hits off a single over bowled by James Sales. Overall, the dynamic right-hander consumed 34 runs off the Sales’ over, to rocket from 62* to 96* in the innings.

His six-laden knock engineered Bears’ total to a massive 207-3 in a rain-curtailed 16-over match. The Northants fell 125 runs short of the target, as they were dusted out for just 81 in their response.

[Watch] Paul Stirling smacks 34 runs off one over, watch video

Notably, Stirling has now joined an elite club of previous Walter Lawrence Trophy winners. Over the years, the likes of Andrew Flintoff, Viv Richards, Adam Gilchrist and Ian Botham have all bagged the elusive award.

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