Zak Crawley, who turned his maiden Test hundred into a mammoth 267 during the summer, has been voted the Cricket Writers’ Club NV Play Young Cricketer of the Year. Former England captain Alastair Cook was named County Championship Player of the Year for his performances in the Bob Willis Trophy, while England spinner Sophie Ecclestone claimed the CWC Women’s Cricket Award.
The CWC young cricketer award is voted on by members of the club, and is restricted to England-qualified players under the age of 23 at the start of the season. It has been awarded every year since 1950, with many recipients going on to enjoy long careers in international cricket.
Crawley, the Kent opener who was also voted the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s Young Player of the Year, scored 417 runs at an average of 69.50 in four Test appearances during England’s bio-secure series against West Indies and Pakistan. He also recorded a maiden T20 hundred, and added another in Kent’s Bob Willis Trophy campaign.
“To get the cricket we did and have a decent summer was very special,” Crawley said. “To win this award, voted for by the cricket media is very special, so thanks to everyone who voted for me.”
Cook was the leading run-scorer in the Bob Willis Trophy, with his imperious 172 in the final at Lord’s helping Essex to secure the county red-ball title for the third time in four seasons. “It was a great year, actually,” Cook said. “I was very sceptical to start with. I thought a five-match tournament, six with the final, I didn’t think it would work. I was totally and utterly wrong. It was a brilliant tournament.
“Every game mattered and because there were no overseas players, because counties had a ‘free shot’ with no relegation, promotion wasn’t spoken about, everyone could win it, clubs backed their own youngsters.”
Ecclestone, 21, is currently ranked the ICC’s No. 1 bowler in women’s T20Is. She was commended by Isabelle Westbury, convenor of the Women’s Cricket Award selection panel, for “another outstanding 12 months in international cricket” after helping England to the semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup, as well as a 5-0 series sweep against West Indies last month.
“I’m really honoured to receive this award, given the girls who’ve won it before and hopefully there’s more to come in the future,” Ecclestone said.
The Lord’s Taverners Disability Cricketer of the Year went to Dan Bower, who scored 499 runs at an average of 99.80 in England’s 8-0 whitewash of Australia last October.
CWC Chair Alison Mitchell said: “I’d like to congratulate all of our 2020 winners – in a year in which we wondered whether we would see any summer cricket at all. Huge praise must go to Steve Elworthy, his team at the ECB, and the counties, for staging both domestic and international men’s and women’s matches in safe environments.
“Naturally it is disappointing that we can’t honour our winners at the usual CWC Lunch event this year, but we hope we can formally present the trophies at an event in the future.”
Source: ESPN Crickinfo