Now here is a prospect. Dan Lawrence, in only his second first-class game for Essex, became only the third 17-year-old to score a century in the County Championship with a merciless 161 that belied his years and helped his side total 610 for eight declared at The Oval to leave Surrey scrapping to avoid defeat.
By the close the hosts were 95 for two, with Kumar Sangakkara back in the pavilion, trailing by 175 runs and having been schooled by a right-handed batsman who, 75 days short of his 18th birthday, will be ineligible to vote in the general election on 7 May.
A stroked four through the covers off Zafar Ansari, called up by England, secured the milestone. Lawrence celebrated in controlled fashion, with a fist pump, a hug from his partner Jesse Ryder – with whom he shared a fifth-wicket stand of 121 – and a congratulatory handshake from Kevin Pietersen. Rightly so, with only Godfrey Bryan of Kent, who was 17 years and 245 days when he scored 124 against Nottinghamshire in 1920, and Worcestershire’s Dipak Patel, 17 years and 270 days when he compiled 107 against Surrey in 1976, his junior.
“It’s been a great day. I just went out there backing myself to do well. It was such a great feeling at such a great ground – the feeling was amazing,” said Lawrence, who walked away from his A-levels at Trinity Catholic high school in Woodford Green after a year to pursue his career in professional cricket. “It has been great to play with people like Sangakkara and Pietersen. KP was good about it; he said ‘well batted’.
“I felt very relieved to get my first hundred,” Lawrence added. “Just after I got out I had a look at Twitter and there were a few messages, lots of people saying nice things to me. I have had mates saying they are at school while I’m scoring a hundred at The Oval. My favourite batsman is AB de Villiers and I try to replicate what he does. All the Essex coaches have been excellent with me so far.”
A product of Chingford Cricket Club and fresh from a winter playing for Newtown & Chilwell Cricket Club in Victoria, who take one youngster from the county every year, Lawrence scored predominantly offside in four and a half hours at the crease during which he turned on the afterburners once past three figures, going at over a run a ball.
He looked confident from the moment he resumed with 48 to his name first thing, signalling his intent when he launched Ansari for a straight six in only his third over from the left-arm spinner. Truth be told, Ansari’s day, one in which he earned his first selection for a senior England fixture after being named in the squad to face Ireland in Dublin next week, was something of a mixed bag.
His four wickets began with the removal of the nightwatchman Jamie Porter lbw for two. By the time he removed Ryder lbw for 57, Lawrence caught behind trying to run the ball to third man and Kishen Velani bowled on 15, the score was 494 for seven and his figures sat at four for 104 from 26.1 overs.
Then, however, came a whirlwind innings from Graham Napier, who smashed 73 from 62 balls – including nine fours, three sixes and 19 from his last five balls – as he and Greg Smith, who made an unbeaten 50, added 116 for the eighth wicket in 20.3 overs to give Essex a 270-run lead.
Little wonder Ansari’s head was spinning as he opened up in Surrey’s second innings alongside Rory Burns, running himself out for a fourth-ball duck with Lawrence – who else? – the man to effect the dismissal. Sangakkara made a glossy 43 before being caught at slip by Nick Browne off Napier, leaving Pietersen and Burns, unbeaten on eight and 41 respectively, with a match to save on day four.
