The PCA’s (Professional Cricketers’ Association)
Player of the Year accolades went to Tammy Beaumont and Harry Brook, with
Mahika Gaur and James Rew taking up the Young Player honours.
After a standout summer in which she broke the record
for the highest individual international score for England Women with her
double-hundred in the Ashes Test at Trent Bridge and finished as the
second-highest run-scorer in the women’s Hundred, Beaumont, the winner of the
women’s award in 2016, received the honour for a second time.
“I’m really pleased to win it,” Beaumont
said. “I was shocked just to be nominated with lots of players having
really good individual summers in Nat [Sciver-Brunt], Georgia [Adams] and
Bryony [Smith]. I’m very grateful that my peers have voted for me and I think
that’s what makes the PCA Awards so special because it’s voted for by your
team-mates and opposition.
“I tend not to look at my statistics, yes the
double-hundred was nice but we didn’t win that game, so I should have got more
in the second innings but I’m very proud of that achievement.”
Brook, who forced his way into England Men’s ODI World
Cup squad after hitting a 41-ball century in the Hundred, said: “I wasn’t
expecting to win this award if I’m honest, the last 12 months have been a dream
come true and this is a huge honour. To contribute to wins for my country has
been fantastic and I want to continue doing that. I’ve had the experience of
playing in different conditions with and against some of the best players in
the world so to help win games of cricket for England has made it even sweeter.
“It’s a great feeling having players vote for you
and I want to say thank you to them. Looking at the high-profile names on this
trophy and to be alongside them is incredible. To have done what I have in the
last 12 months in international cricket is a dream and hopefully it
continues.”