Northants opening batsman and new England recruit Ben Duckett crowned a memorable season by making history as the first-ever winner of the two headline honours at the NatWest Professional Cricketers’ Awards at a glittering presentation ceremony in London.
Duckett, 21, became the first man to win both the Reg Hayter Cup for NatWest PCA Players’ Player of the Year and the John Arlott Cup for NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year in the same season. Both awards were voted for by all current professional cricketers in England and Wales.
Give yourself a pat on the back, @BenDuckett1! Superb season from the @NorthantsCCC run machine #stats pic.twitter.com/kdt72gQVAT
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 14, 2016
The brace of trophies, which were presented at the annual ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Mayfair’s Park Lane, came at the end of a record-breaking summer for Duckett, which culminated in him being called up by England for both their One Day International and Test squads for the forthcoming tour to Bangladesh.
“It seems to have been good news each week. I keep saying every week: ‘that has topped off my summer’ and then something else happens,” Duckett said.
“Winning these two NatWest PCA Awards is probably the highlight of my summer. I got my England call-ups and so many other things have happened. If someone had said at the start of the season that all this would happen I wouldn’t have believed it.
“What makes the PCA awards so special is that you are voted for by your peers. People who you play against vote for you and that means a lot to me. I can’t keep the smile off my face. I wasn’t expecting this. To be nominated for both awards was an honour in itself so to win them both is something very special.”
Yes @BenDuckett1! Look out @BCBtigers - this lad gives it some serious tap. Good choice @englandcricketpic.twitter.com/tC3ykDX88Q
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) September 16, 2016
Duckett made 2,706 runs across all formats in 2016 and began the season by scoring a career-best 282 not out in Northamptonshire’s Specsavers County Championship match against Sussex and followed up with another double century against Kent earlier this month.
The left-hander also made a maiden List A double century, an England Lions record 220 not out against Sri Lanka A at Canterbury and helped Northants to win the NatWest T20 Blast for the second time in four years.
Duckett’s form in the Royal London One-Day Cup helped to secure his selection for the North team for next March’s inaugural three-match series against the South in the United Arab Emirates with places picked through the PCA MVP rankings.
He was voted Northamptonshire’s Players’ Player of the Year last week and he collected the Cricket Writers’ Club Young Cricketer of the Year Award yesterday.
Don't know much about @BenDuckett1? You'll get a good flavour of his game after watching this... pic.twitter.com/trz6j7ixic
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 16, 2016
Tammy Beaumont was voted Waitrose Women’s Player of the Summer by her fellow England players after a breakthrough season in which she followed up a maiden One Day International half century in the Royal London series against Pakistan with successive centuries against the same opponents.
Her aggregate of 342 runs was a record for three-match series and Beaumont followed up with 142 runs in the NatWest T20 Series. She also helped Kent complete a Royal London County Championship and NatWest T20 double and will fly to the West Indies with England on Friday to prepare for the forthcoming One Day International series.
“It’s been a bit of a breakthrough summer for me. I hadn’t really cemented my place before so to have a season like that was unbelievable,” Beaumont said.
“The fact that the squad votes for this award makes it even more special. You want to contribute to a successful international summer and for the girls to recognise is the best part about winning. I can’t wait to get out to the West Indies which is an important tour for us to get some points for the ICC Women’s Championship and qualify for our home World Cup next year.”
Somerset and former England batsman Marcus Trescothick was presented with the PCA Special Merit Award by the Association’s President Andrew Flintoff in recognition of his work on and off the field, in-particular in raising awareness of and helping to de-stigmatise depression.
Chris Woakes scooped the Investec Test Player of the Summer after a breakthrough year in red ball cricket, which saw him top the MVP rankings ahead of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow.
Meanwhile, Glamorgan’s overseas star Colin Ingram joined Duckett in winning two awards, scooping the NatWest T20 Blast Player of the Year and the Sky Sports Sixes award for hitting the most maximums in the T20 Blast, with the South African smashing the first ball of the season for six and ending with 29 in total.
In a night to remember for the Northamptonshire squad, slow left-armer Graeme White was awarded the Royal London One-Day Cup Player of the Year after finishing on top of the MVP rankings, while former Durham batsman Michael Gough retained the Harold Goldblatt Award for the PCA Umpire of the Year.