Ansari takes Walter Lawrence Trophy

Akbar Ansari plays his cricket for Cambridge © ECB

Akbar Ansari is the 2008 winner of the Walter Lawrence Trophy award for the highest-scoring batsman from the six MCC Universities.

His 193, scored against Oxford University in the Varsity match at The Parks on July 3, is the highest score in an innings played against one of the other five University Centres of Cricketing Excellence or against one of the first-class counties this season.

Ansari was the stand-out performer for Cambridge as the Varsity match with Oxford ended in a draw.

His hundred helped Cambridge to a first-innings total of 386, with Ed Morse taking 6-102 for Oxford.

Ansari then took 4-50 as Oxford were bowled out for 264 before making 80 not out as Cambridge declared on 255 for four.

Oxford, however, produced a fine second innings, with Nick Kruger scoring 172 before being bowled by Ansari as they reached 353 for seven and the match was drawn.

Ansari, a right-hand bat and leg-break bowler who is a product of Surrey's academy, was born in Ascot and is studying archaeology and anthropology at Cambridge.

The 20-year-old all-rounder, completed his 193, which was scored off 388 balls and included 27 fours, on the eve of his 20th birthday.

He will become the third recipient of a silver medallion and prize of £1,000 at the end-of-season dinner in the long room at Lord's when the main trophy, for the fastest hundred in terms of balls faced, is presented.

Graham Napier, the 28-year-old Essex all-rounder, still leads the field in the challenge for the 2008 Walter Lawrence Trophy with his whirlwind 44-ball hundred scored against Sussex in the Twenty20-Cup match at Chelmsford on June 24.