| Country: | England |
| Fullname: | Mark Philip Lawrence |
| Birth Date: | 6 May 1962 |
| Birth Place: | Warrington, Lancashire, England |
| Death Place: | Lindfield, Sussex, England |
| Batting: | Left-handed |
| Bowling: | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| Club1: | Oxford University |
| Year1: | 1982 - 1986 |
| Columns: | 1 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 30 |
| Runs1: | 101 |
| Bat Avg1: | 4.04 |
| 100S/50S1: | –/– |
| Top Score1: | 18 |
| Deliveries1: | 5,364 |
| Wickets1: | 42 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 70.92 |
| Fivefor1: | – |
| Tenfor1: | – |
| Best Bowling1: | 3/79 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 9/– |
| Date: | 24 June |
| Year: | 2020 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/16481.html Cricinfo |
Mark Philip Lawrence (6 May 1962 – 21 August 2010) was an English first-class cricketer.
Lawrence was born at Warrington in May 1962. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School,[1] before going up to Merton College, Oxford.[2] While studying at Oxford, he played first-class cricket for Oxford University, making his debut against Hampshire in 1982. He played first-class cricket for Oxford until 1935, making eleven appearances.[3] Playing as a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, Lawrence took 42 wickets at an expensive average of 70.92 and best figures of 3 for 79.[4] Describing himself as "the least bad slow left-armer at Oxford",[1] he holds the record for the highest bowling average in first-class cricket (for a minimum of 5,000 balls bowled).[5]
After obtaining his doctorate in chemistry, Lawrence worked for venture captain firm 3i so that he could invest in technological ventures. He later worked as a consultant to City law firms such as Linklaters, before setting up a business to invest in low carbon startup companies. Moving to West Sussex, he coached cricket at Ardingly College, where among those he coached included the future Sussex cricketer Abidine Sakande.[2] He was chairman of Lindfield Cricket Club,[1] in addition to serving as a local Magistrate.[2] Lawrence died from a cerebral haemorrhage at Lindfield on 10 August 2010.[1] The Mark Lawrence Science Bursary was set up at Ardingly College in his memory.[2]