NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year Shortlist

The Professional Cricketers’ Association can reveal Worcestershire pair Ed Barnard and Pat Brown are joined by Surrey duo Sam Curran and Ollie Pope and Lancashire’s Matthew Parkinson in being nominated for the NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year.

The accolade has been voted for by current players with the winner receiving the John Arlott Cup at the prestigious ceremony which takes place at the Roundhouse, Camden next Thursday October 4.

Worcestershire captain Moeen Ali presents golden tickets to two of the NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year nominees.

Worcestershire all-rounder Barnard has been recognised as one of the most consistent performers on the county circuit by his fellow players, with the 22-year-old currently in third position in the Overall Most Valuable Player Rankings, it is clear to see his adaptability across all formats.

Taking 49 wickets and scoring 516 runs in the Specsavers County Championship was no mean feat for a side which only managed two victories all season.

However, it was the Vitality Blast where Worcestershire had their success with Barnard winning his first trophy with the club, helped by taking the crucial wicket of Laurie Evans in the final.

If Barnard was Mr Consistent for the Rapids then Brown was their star man in t20 cricket as he blew away opposing batting line-ups all summer. The 20-year-old’s breakthrough season was one to remember as he finished as the competitions leading wicket taker with 31, six more than anyone else.

Coming through the ranks as a white-ball specialist, Brown bamboozled batsmen with his variations, with an impressive economy rate of 7.64, he averaged a wicket every 13.35 runs.

2015 winner of the NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year Tom Curran presents a golden ticket to his brother, Sam. 

Curran is also shortlisted and is remarkably still only 20-years-of-age, despite already being a fixture for England after a breakthrough year with the Three Lions.

Called up to the Test side after impressing in the County Championship, Curran made his Test debut against Pakistan and became an integral figure for his country this summer, winning the Player of the Series against India.

As well as taking 13 Test wickets this summer, the County Championship winner has shown his all-round ability, scoring 292 runs at an average of over 36 in the whites for England.

Announced earlier today, Ollie Pope celebrated his nomination for the NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year with his fourth century of the season against Essex at the Kia Oval.

Averaging over 70 in the County Championship with the bat and almost 40 in both white-ball tournaments, Pope made his England debut at Lord’s this summer and will be aiming to add to his two caps in Sri Lanka this winter.

Keaton Jennings and Alex Davies present Matthew Parkinson’s golden ticket to the leg-spinner to celebrate his nomination for the NatWest PCA Young Player of the Year. 

The fifth nominee comes from Lancashire with leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson being nominated by his fellow professionals due to dazzling batsman over the campaign.

The 21-year-olds splendid season has been highlighted with his impact across both white-ball formats with the Bolton-born bowler leading the way in wicket-taking, taking 43 wickets in the shorter format of the game.

Top of the tree in the One-Day Cup, Parkinson took 18 wickets at an average of 18 from just eight appearances, including a List A career best 5-68 against Notts Outlaws.

Selected in the England Lions squad for the winter, he also finished second in the Blast wicket-taking ranks with an equally-impressive 25 scalps at just over 16.

The 49^th NatWest PCA Awards will take place at the Roundhouse in Camden on October 4. The event is organised by the PCA, in association with the England and Wales Cricket Board with the Awards reflecting the domestic and international season with all proceeds from the night going to the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust.