England all-rounder Ben Stokes won the Players’ Player of the Year at the Professional Cricketers’ Association awards on Wednesday. Stokes played a key role in England’s first 50-over World Cup win against New Zealand. The 28-year-old then repeated his performance with a superb match-winning unbeaten 135 in the third Ashes Test against Australia.

Although Australia retained the Ashes, England finished the series with a stunning win and the series ended with a draw. However, Ben Stokes was honoured for those achievements by winning the Reg Hayter Cup ahead of the other nominees Simon Harmer, Ryan Higgins and Dom Sibley.

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“It’s hard to put it into words. I am over the moon that players think I am worthy of winning the PCA Players’ Player of the Year through performances this summer,” Stokes said. “You can take a lot of personal pride when you receive this award because it’s your peers that vote for you. Earning this award is a huge moment.”

“While this is an individual award, it is within a team sport so I am only in this position because of what other guys in our squad have achieved as well. What we have done as a team in 2019 is phenomenal, to win the World Cup and draw the Ashes has been a fantastic summer and something I am proud of personally and as a team,” he added.

Somerset’s Tom Banton won the PCA young player of the year, while England bowler Sophie Ecclestone won the women’s player of the summer for her outstanding performance throughout the season. Other award winners are ODI player of the summer Chris Woakes, Test player of the summer Stuart Broad, and County Championship player of the year Harmer.