Bryce and Dawson win cinch PCA Awards

Kathryn Bryce and Liam Dawson have won the headline honours at the 2024 cinch PCA Awards with Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Jamie Smith also receiving sought after accolades at the Troxy.

Hampshire’s Dawson completes a quadruple of PCA Awards this summer, having also won the PCA Men’s Domestic Overall MVP, the Vitality County Championship Player of the Year alongside captaining the IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year.

The all-rounder secured the player voted for award, beating competition from an illustrious shortlist which included Joe Root, Gus Atkinson and Colin Ingram.

Dawson joins a prestigious list of winners from recent years such as Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow, Root, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes and becomes the first domestic player to win this award since 2018.

Scotland’s Bryce rounded off a fantastic summer after winning the Charlotte Edwards Cup with The Blaze and matching Dawson’s feat of four major individual prizes. The all-rounder also claimed the PCA Women’s Domestic Overall MVP, Charlotte Edwards Cup Player of the Year and captains the Metro Bank PCA Women’s Team of the Year.

Bryce joins an esteemed list of recent winners which includes Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Eve Jones and Sarah Glenn and is the first non-Englishwoman to lift the trophy.

England wicketkeeper Smith enjoyed a brilliant 2024 for club and country as he won the cinch PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year award, which for the second consecutive year went to a wicketkeeper, following James Rew’s success in 2023.

Meanwhile, the cinch PCA Women’s Young Player of the Year award went to 20-year-old South East Stars all-rounder MacDonald-Gay who was rewarded with an international debut in September.

The 55^th edition of the most prestigious awards ceremony in English and Welsh cricket was held in East London, as the cinch PCA Awards were attended by 500 guests, including current and former players, partners and stakeholders.

A phenomenal season for Dawson sees him pick up a third PCA trophy, having won the support of his peers. The cinch PCA Men’s Player of the Year trophy will sit on the mantlepiece next to his incredible MVP double, a feat he also achieved in 2023.

The Hampshire all-rounder took 71 wickets across all formats in 2024 and scored 1,280 runs, topping the Overall MVP table by a considerable distance.

cinch PCA Men’s Player of the Year, Dawson, said: “It’s a huge honour, the other nominees are all brilliant players and I didn’t expect this, so to win the award is a very proud moment.

“I was very surprised but I am delighted, it’s a real highlight of my career.

“It’s a very special award so to win it is great. I had a strong season last year but to have an even better season this year, really tops it off.

“It feels great knowing that the award is voted for by fellow players that you play against week in, week out, so when I finish my career I will look back very fondly on this achievement because it’s something I never thought would happen.”

Scotland skipper Bryce produced a remarkable 12 months which included scoring 1,650 runs and taking 51 wickets, like Dawson, this award also becomes her third PCA trophy of the season.

The 26-year-old finished the Charlotte Edwards Cup as the leading run scorer with 478 runs, alongside winning the title.

cinch PCA Women’s Player of the Year, Bryce, said: “It’s a massive honour to win this trophy seeing the names that have won it before and knowing that it’s been voted for by fellow players.

“It’s been a brilliant year, starting with qualifying for the World Cup and then winning the Charlotte Edwards Cup with The Blaze that was a really fantastic part of the season.

“This is a year I will remember for a long time and I want to say a huge thank you to the PCA and cinch as well as everyone who voted for me.

“I want to keep playing as much cricket as I can in different places around the world, if I can play half as well as this for the years to come hopefully I’ll have a good career.”

An international breakthrough summer from Smith saw him score 487 runs in Test matches, which included a maiden international century and cemented his spot as England’s first choice wicketkeeper.

The 24-year-old also scored 677 runs for Surrey in the County Championship and picked up the cinch PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year accolade having been nominated in consecutive years.

cinch PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year, Smith, said: “You look at the names that are on this trophy and it makes it a really nice honour to receive, especially being voted for by fellow professionals.

“Hopefully I can follow in the footsteps of the people on this trophy and emulate some of the things they’ve achieved in the game.

“It’s been a special summer, there’s been a lot of achievements to look back on, with Surrey winning three Championships in a row and to play in the Test team and then ending the summer playing against Australia was a great experience.

“The England dressing room is a great environment to be involved in, I play my best cricket when I’ve got a smile on my face and can go out and be confident and aggressive.”

A fantastic season from MacDonald-Gay saw the South East Stars seamer amass 39 wickets across both formats.

The 20-year-old from Kent picked up the PCA Player of the Month award in April and averaged 16.7 in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for her 21 wickets. She also took a maiden career five wicket haul this summer.

cinch PCA Women’s Young Player of the Year, MacDonald-Gay, said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic about it, to be voted for my your peers just shows how much the hard work pays off, it’s really nice to be acknowledged for that.

“Tilly and Seren have done so well all year and to play with them both during the summer, it’s been great to see how their games have progressed.

“It was a dream come true to play for England, I absolutely loved it.

“Nailing down my skills and performing on the pitch is where my game has grown, I’m showing more consistency which is hard when the game has become so much more attacking from the batter’s perspective.

“Taking the five-fer was so exciting and to beat one of the top teams in the competition was so much fun.”

The PCA Outstanding Contribution Award was presented to Matthew Maynard for his incredible work for the Tom Maynard Trust which closed down after 12 years of supporting athletes with grants and education. The former England player also completed an inspirational ‘Wellyman Walk’ from John O’Groats to Land’s End in Cornwall all to raise money for the Cricketers’ Trust and Help for Heroes.

The ECB announced the winner of their Special Merit award which went to England’s all-time leading wicket-taker and the recently internationally retired James Anderson.

The cinch PCA Awards also recognised Neil Bainton and Anna Harris as Umpires of the Year, as voted for by the players.

Throughout the evening, funds were raised to support the Cricketers’ Trust, the players’ charity that provides crucial support for PCA members and their immediate families when they need it most.

The Rado Recognition award was also given to England players Harry Brook and Lauren Bell.

PCA Interim Chief Executive, Daryl Mitchell, said: “It has been another incredible year across men’s and women’s international and domestic cricket. It is always a privilege to celebrate all our winners at the most prestigious awards ceremony in cricket.

“I want to say a huge congratulations to our four main winners at this year’s cinch PCA Awards, all of them have been incredible and deserve their accolades.

“As always, I would like to thank cinch for making the PCA Awards possible and for their support of our game.”