Jonny Bairstow, Nat Sciver named as PCA Players of the Year at annual awards
Jonny Bairstow, Nat Sciver named as PCA Players of the Year at annual awards: Winners of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) Player of the Year honors for men and women are Jonny Bairstow and Nat Sciver, respectively.
Harry Brook and Freya Kemp were also recognized as Young Players of the Year.
Following his selection as the first recipient of the Cricket Writers’ Club’s Bob Willis Trophy earlier this week, Bairstow has presented with the award at the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s annual awards dinner at London’s Hurlingham Club. Bairstow was the standout player for England in a historic Test season.
For the seven Tests England played against New Zealand, India, and South Africa, he scored 681 runs at a 75.66 average with four centuries. Unfortunately, he recently injured his leg in a bizarre golfing accident and is presently sidelined.
Comments
Bairstow commented, “It’s a privilege to win the 2016 PCA Men’s Player of the Year and it’s a wonderful honor when your colleagues vote for you.” “It’s difficult to pick a single highlight, but I’m proud to have helped out in many different Tests.”
It was a monumental accomplishment for the team as a whole, he said, to win six of the seven Tests. “It feels amazing to be on the winning side again after the last few years we’ve experienced. The team’s growth and chemistry throughout the summer has been inspiring to witness firsthand; it’s been a pleasure to be a part of, and I look forward to returning to the fold in the not-too-distant future.”
After Joe Root and Chris Woakes, Bairstow became the fourth straight English player to win the top PCA award. After a two-year break due to Covid, the awards banquet returned in 2019 and went to Ben Stokes for his outstanding performances in the World Cup and the Ashes.
For both her club and country in 2022, Sciver was spectacular. She started the year with two centuries at the World Cup in New Zealand, including a superb 148 not out against Australia in the final, and she went on to win the PCA Women’s Player of the Year title.
Her season culminated with her being voted the PCA’s MVP at the Hundred for her 228 runs at 76, including spectacular innings of 72 not out from 36 balls in the Eliminator at the Ageas Bowl, where Trent Rockets came up just two runs short of booking a place in the final.
Following her withdrawal from England’s September series against India, in which she was to have served as stand-in captain, Sciver is currently taking a hiatus from the sport.
Statement
Sciver: “I want to give a huge shout-out and heartfelt gratitude to everyone who voted for me to be the PCA Women’s Player of the Year.
“It’s been a great year for me, and my performance has been commendable. Amazingly, the World Cup actually took place this year. The two World Cup hundreds and the superb Test match innings against South Africa were both exceptional.
“As expected, the Hundred’s second season was fantastic—the cricket and crowds were amazing—and it was encouraging to see the Rockets improve on their performance from the previous year. It is my sincere hope that next year will bring even greater success.
“As cricketers, we strive for perfection, so it’s hard to remember all the nice things that have happened, but there have been some amazing moments and highlights along the way.”
After winning the Young Player Award in 2021, Brook became the first player to repeat the feat since Sir Alastair Cook in 2005 and 2006. Brook’s outstanding performance for England in Pakistan has placed him a leading contender for a starting spot at this month’s T20 World Cup.
Many people enjoy success for one year, but “it’s fantastic to be able to back it up and be consistent over a couple of seasons.” “It’s an honor to follow in Alastair Cook’s batting footsteps; the man was a genius.”
Declarations
“I consider it a great honor to have earned this award twice because it comes from both my teammates and our opponents.”
“Participating in a World Cup would be like living out a childhood fantasy. It’s an honor to wear the Three Lions’ crest and represent England in the World Cup; here’s hoping I get some playing time and can help the team win some games.”
In a tight competition with last year’s winner Alice Capsey and Grace Scrivens, the 18-year-old Kemp came out on top to win the women’s young player award. Her breakout season earned her an England T20I debut after only seven professional outings.
Even though she is best known as a left-arm seamer, Kemp’s shining moment came at the batting end when she scored 51 not out off of 37 balls for England in a Twenty20 International match against India in Derby, making her the youngest England player, male or female, to score a half-century in a Twenty20 International.
Remarks
“It’s a tremendous honor to get this recognition,” she exclaimed. “This summer has been fantastic; I’ve learnt so much and had a great time doing it. To have so many talented players around me who are willing to teach and advise me has been invaluable.
“In short, I can hardly wait for the future. I hope to have a long and fruitful working life. As the summer winds down, I want to build on the many wonderful experiences I’ve had and the optimism I have that they will continue. I think it would be amazing to be able to play cricket all around the world and travel at the same time.”
Players also voted Anna Harris and Nick Cook as Umpires of the Year, and former Gloucestershire wicketkeeper Andy Brassington received an Outstanding Contribution Award for his work on the project “Walkers & Talkers,” which aims to provide a comfortable environment in which people can meet new people and talk about their feelings.
Former ECB board member Brenda Trenowden CBE, who passed away in August at the age of 55, was also honored with the institution’s Special Merit award.