Kent man lands hat-trick of individual awards; Sophie Ecclestone selected as Women's Player of the Summer
Friday 5 October 2018 09:57, UK
Kent's Joe Denly has been voted NatWest PCA Players' Player of the Year, with Surrey's Ollie Pope claiming the Young Player of the Year accolade.
England spinner Sophie Ecclestone was named NatWest Women's Player of the Summer at the 49th PCA Awards in London on Thursday, on a night on which Denly claimed three individual awards.
Denly, whose form earned him a call-up to England's Test squad to face Sri Lanka, beat off competition from Kent team-mate Matt Henry and Surrey pair Rory Burns and Rikki Clarke to earn the Reg Hayter Cup.
The 32-year-old was Kent's leading run-scorer in the Vitality Blast and averaged 70 in the Royal London One-Day Cup as the Canterbury outfit reached the final, feats which also earned him the Vitality Blast and Royal London One-Day Cup Player of the Year gongs.
Denly scored over 800 runs as Kent earned promotion in the Specsavers County Championship, while he bagged in excess of 50 wickets in all competitions with his ever-improving leg-spin.
"Being here tonight and being the NatWest PCA Players' Player of the Year, it's a very proud day and the ultimate accolade in domestic cricket," said Denly. "It's been a very enjoyable 12 months, that's for sure.
"The last couple of years has been about enjoying cricket and having a good understanding of what works for me and what doesn't, and really sticking to that and enjoying that.
"Playing against fantastic cricketers throughout the years and being recognised for your contribution to your team and what you achieved in that year is something very special."
Pope pipped Surrey and England colleague Sam Curran, Worcestershire's Ed Barnard and Pat Brown and Lancashire leg-spinner Matt Parkinson to the John Arlott Cup for the leading Young Player.
The 20-year-old batsman - who made two Test appearances against India, a tally he will be looking to add to in Sri Lanka this winter - scored 986 runs and averaged over 70 in Surrey's County Championship-winning campaign, while he also averaged almost 40 in both white-ball competitions.
"It's a special year, whether that be getting my call-up or more importantly, winning the Championship and contributing in that successful side," Pope said. "It's an exciting time for county cricket and this country in general.
"It's awesome. It's incredibly special and coming from players we play against makes it more special."
Ecclestone, meanwhile, took the Women's prize ahead of Tammy Beaumont and Katherine Brunt after a stunning summer in white-ball cricket.
The 19-year-old was named Player of the Series as England defeated New Zealand and South Africa in a T20 international series after snaring 10 wickets in five games, while she also claimed a further 10 scalps in six ODIs.
"It's just been an amazing summer for me, I'm so proud of myself," said Ecclestone, named in England's 15-strong squad for the ICC Women's World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in November.
"Now to be playing on the big stage with all the girls is obviously amazing. My family have worked so hard for me and I've worked hard for myself. It tops off an amazing year."
Lancashire seamer Tom Bailey won the County Championship award after taking 64 wickets in Division One, while James Anderson and Jos Buttler landed the Specsavers Test Player of the Summer and NatWest One-Day International Player of the Summer respectively.
The PCA Awards, organised by the PCA and in association with the England and Wales Cricket Board, reflects on the domestic and international season with all proceeds from the night going to the newly-launched Professional Cricketers' Trust.
Reg Hayter Cup for the NatWest PCA Players' Player of the Year:
Joe Denly (Kent)
John Arlott Cup for the NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year:
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
NatWest Women's Player of the Summer:
Sophie Ecclestone
Rory Burns (Surrey, captain)
Alex Davies (Lancashire)
Joe Denly (Kent)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire / Birmingham Bears)
James Vince (Hampshire)
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)
Dane Vilas (Lancashire)
Rikki Clarke (Surrey)
Ed Barnard (Worcestershire)
Matt Henry (Kent)
Morne Morkel (Surrey)
PCA County Championship Player of the Year:
Tom Bailey (Lancashire)
Vitality Blast Player of the Year:
Joe Denly (Kent)
Royal London One-Day Cup Player of the Year:
Joe Denly (Kent)
ECB Special Award:
Mick Hunt
Harold Goldblatt Award for the PCA Umpire of the Year:
Michael Gough
Greene King PCA England Masters Player of the Summer:
Ali Brown
Specsavers Test Player of the Summer:
James Anderson
PCA One-Day International Player of the Summer:
Jos Buttler
