Walters has been made Surrey captain in the absence of Mark Butcher

Stand-in Surrey captain Stewart Walters says being chosen to lead the side against Essex gave him the confidence to hit his maiden first-class hundred.

The 26-year-old scored 142 and put on 222 with Usman Afzaal at Guildford just days after being made skipper.

Walters told BBC London 94.9: "I was nervous about it [captaining] but once I got out there I just knew there was a job to be done.

"Now I've got the opportunity I'm loving every minute of it."

Walters admits he had started to stray from his natural game before being handed the captaincy but is delighted that he regained his touch whilst leading the team.

"You just worry about things that probably don't need to be worried about. Where your head is, where your feet are," he said.

"All that just goes out the window. You've just got to get on and watch the ball and react well to that.

"It's a huge relief [to get the hundred], a monkey off the back. Now the work starts for me. I've got to crack on and score a few more."

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