Zak Crawley wins Young Player Award as Craig Overton lands Bob Willis Trophy prize
Sunday 4 October 2020 11:42, UK
England stars Chris Woakes and Sarah Glenn have been named NatWest PCA Men's and NatWest PCA Women's Player of the Year Award winners respectively.
At the first NatWest Cricket Awards, Woakes claimed the Reg Hayter Cup for the first time after another excellent summer in which he played a starring role in England's Test series wins over West Indies and, in particular, Pakistan with his match-winning 84 in the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford one of the highlights of the summer.
Meanwhile, Glenn's award caps a fantastic first home season as an England international. The 21-year-old leg-spinner was named player of the T20 series as Heather Knight's side beat the West Indies 5-0 in Derby.
Zak Crawley was named Vitality PCA Young Player of the Year after excelling in his first English Test summer, a magnificent double century against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl the undoubted standout as the 22-year-old enhanced his already fast-growing reputation.
The awards are voted for by the players' fellow professionals and while the global pandemic prevented the usual pomp and ceremony for the 51st NatWest PCA Awards, this summer's honours were given added significance by the inclusion of the NatWest Outstanding Service to Cricket Awards (OSCAs).
"I'm obviously delighted to win the NatWest PCA Men's Player of the Year award, even though the news came as a bit of a shock!" Woakes said.
"I feel honoured and privileged to have had that recognition from my fellow professionals. Obviously some great players have won it so to be amongst them is a brilliant feeling.
"It's a credit to everyone that we have had a full international schedule given what's happened with the Covid-19 pandemic, so I'm really pleased with how my own performance went and obviously the team's as well, to win the majority of our series.
"The big highlight for me of the summer was that Test match against Pakistan, to win from where we were was just incredible. That was a knock and a partnership that I'll treasure forever."
Glenn, who beat captain Knight and all-rounder Nat Sciver to the award, said: "It's an honour to win the NatWest PCA Women's Player of the Year award. It's pretty special that it was voted for by the girls, knowing that they've got my back. To know that I've won it and deserved it is very special.
"It's taken me by surprise as well how quickly things have escalated. I have loved every moment of it and tried not to look too far ahead in every game. Anything I've been unsure about I've just asked the girls so credit to them as well."
On his young player's trophy, Crawley added: "It's great to be picked by your peers, so winning the Vitality PCA Young Player of the Year means a lot to me and I'm very proud. There's so many great names on the trophy already, so it's very special.
"To score 200 in a Test match - I didn't think I was capable of it, so it was just a great moment for me. It's been great to come back to Kent and play so well too - the hundred at Hampshire was very special and hopefully it shows my ability in all formats."
Somerset all-rounder Craig Overton took the Bob Willis Trophy award and Southern Vipers opener Georgia Adams was named the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Player of the Year.
Full list of NatWest Cricket Award winners:
