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Dan Lawrence admits that losing his chance to score a maiden Test century against the West Indies was “tough to take at the time”… but his hard-hitting 91 was proof he had a future with the new England.
- Dan Lawrence admitted it was ‘difficult’ to miss a first Test century
- He scored a resounding 91 against the West Indies last year, but then made a mistake.
- That “little taste” of England’s pre-injury success made him eager for more.
- Lawrence currently plays in the United Arab Emirates T20 league ahead of two New Zealand tests.
Dan Lawrence regrets wasting his great chance to score a maiden Test century, but in the disappointment came irrefutable proof that he had a future with what became the new England.
Lawrence transformed a slow-paced first day of the second Test against the West Indies in Barbados last year when he smashed 13 fours and sixes on his hard-hitting 91.
But with his first Test century in sight and having beaten Jason Holder for two fours on successive balls in the last over of the day, he went for a third and gave it away instead.
Dan Lawrence regrets missing out on a century against the West Indies last March for nine runs
“It was hard to take at the time and it took me a while to get over it,” Lawrence told Sportsmail. ‘It was bitterly disappointing to come out right at the end of the day.
“It was a classic case of getting too excited and wanting to get the hundred that night. If I had that opportunity again, I’d play it slightly differently, or just be even more aggressive. I wouldn’t be halfway.
Little did Lawrence know that his methods would soon become the norm under the new regime that was to transform Test cricket last summer, including his desire to hit three figures that night rather than play it safe in the morning.
Lawrence’s methods of achieving that 91 have made him crucial for England moving forward
Lawrence would have been very much in contention for a spot last summer, but the problem was that he suffered a nagging hamstring injury after that Caribbean tour right at the start of the domestic season.
It left him stuck in 11 Test appearances with plenty of promise but still no centuries and ruled him out of the early stages of the Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum revolution.
But Stokes had taken note of the selfless way in which the 25-year-old Lawrence played on that miserable Caribbean tour and the Essex man is due for New Zealand next week, with Jonny Bairstow still absent through injury, restored to the squad. Test and desperate to pick up where he left off against the West Indies.
“Usually that’s how I try to play my cricket,” said Lawrence, who is attack-minded. “Personal milestones are important, but as long as you’re trying to make an impact in any game, whether it’s hitting a quick 30 or the team needs you to try and hit all day, then you can’t go too far wrong.”
He hopes he can continue in that form after returning from injury for two rounds in New Zealand.
“My injury came at a really difficult time and then my hamstring ruptured again when I tried to come back too early, so I never had any momentum last season.”
“I was always thinking about England and I ended up being too desperate to come back and it affected my performances in the county.” So getting the call now means more than when I first played for England.”
And there is no question, if Lawrence has a chance to play in both Tests at Mount Maunganui and Wellington, how we will approach his batting. “He’s pretty self-explanatory with this team now,” he said.
I’m close to some of the guys in the locker room and having talked to Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope, they have so much freedom and clarity and it shows in their numbers. They’re getting a lot better and just taking the game.
Lawrence is currently playing in the new UAE T20 league with Dubai Capitals
‘The fundamentals of red-ball cricket still apply, but if you really fancy chasing someone down, no one is going to chide you for getting caught in the middle or half the wicket. It’s just ‘go and do what you want to do, but be clear about it’.
That’s music to the ears of the flamboyant and often unorthodox Lawrence. “I’ve always enjoyed the feeling of freedom to go out and play,” he said. ‘It doesn’t necessarily mean just teeing off because I don’t really think that’s what the guys are doing.
‘Maybe the batting isn’t as technical as it has been in the past. It’s more about the game plan than trying to play the perfect coverage. Children are sensing parts of the game where they can really take it on and just express themselves knowing what it will be. When everyone has that freedom and clarity, they end up playing well anyway.’
Lawrence said a “small taste” of England’s level has made him more interested in continuing there.
Now that Lawrence, currently playing in the new United Arab Emirates T20 league, is back, England are where they want to be. ‘Massively,’ he said. “I’ve tried a bit and I feel like I have a lot more to give at that level.
‘I played some really good innings at the start of my Test career, but I was pretty inconsistent. You can pass. If I play again now, it will be amazing, but if not, I will try to be the best I can in the group.
“Whenever the time comes, I would love to try it again and try to put some really good numbers on the board. I don’t care where I hit. The way things are going, you can potentially be thrown anywhere. I just want to play for England again.