KENT'S recently retired club captain Matthew Fleming has been presented with a £5,000 cheque and the Walter Lawrence Trophy for scoring the fastest first-class century of the season.

Fleming became the sixth Kent cricketer to win the trophy since its inception in 1934 at a celebratory dinner held in the Long Room at Lord's.

Collecting the trophy from Mark Lawrence, of sponsors Aon, Fleming could not resist poking fun at his own career and the 66-ball century that won him the award.

"How refreshing to be here at Lord's and collecting a trophy after three failed attempts," said Fleming, referring to his hat-trick of Benson and Hedges Cup final defeats at the St John's Wood venue.

"I must also propose a vote of thanks to the Sri Lankans, whose hands were so cold back in April at St Lawrence that they were reluctant to take them out of their pockets. It's also a privilege for me to follow in the footsteps of former Kent winners Frank Woolley, Les Ames, Asif Iqbal, Alan Knott and Carl Hooper and now Matthew Fleming - five legends of the game and a trier!"

Famed for opening his first-class career with a brace of sixes, Fleming, summed up his career by adding: "I guess you could say once a slogger, always a slogger."

Sponsors Aon ended the evening by presenting a cheque for £6,000 to the Lord's Taverners.