Mark Lawrence (cricketer)

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, before going up to Merton College, Oxford. 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. 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. Describing himself as "the least bad slow left-armer at Oxford", he holds the record for the highest bowling average in first-class cricket (for a minimum of 5,000 balls bowled).

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. He was chairman of Lindfield Cricket Club, in addition to serving as a local Magistrate. Lawrence died from a cerebral haemorrhage at Lindfield on 10 August 2010. The Mark Lawrence Science Bursary was set up at Ardingly College in his memory.