England Trio Shine Bright: Atkinson, Smith & Ecclestone Honored in Prestigious Wisden Cricketers of the Year Awards

The 2024 English summer witnessed exceptional performances across all formats of cricket, culminating in a prestigious recognition from the esteemed Wisden Cricket Committee. This year’s selection of five Cricketers of the Year highlights remarkable achievements and outstanding contributions to the sport.

England’s Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith, and Sophie Ecclestone have been named among the recipients, reflecting their pivotal roles throughout the season. Atkinson’s explosive Test debut against West Indies, marked by 12 wickets and a maiden century, propelled him to prominence. He followed this with a significant first-class performance, scoring his maiden century batting at number eight against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. Smith made his Test debut during the summer as England’s new wicketkeeper, showcasing impressive consistency with 280 runs at an average of 46.6 across three matches against Sri Lanka, ultimately securing his spot due to his solid wicketkeeping skills and edging out established rivals Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes.

Sophie Ecclestone stands as a standout figure, particularly for England’s women’s team. Despite a challenging year marked by an unsuccessful T20 World Cup campaign and a disappointing Ashes series resulting in the removal of head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight, Ecclestone has maintained her status as the world’s number one ranked bowler in both white-ball formats. She surpassed Katherine Sciver-Brunt as England Women’s leading T20 wicket-taker during the series against Pakistan. Her consistent performance and impact make this recognition particularly significant.

The complete lineup of Wisden Cricketers of the Year also includes Hampshire spinner Liam Dawson and Surrey fast bowler Dan Worrall. Alongside Atkinson, Smith, and Ecclestone, India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana were recognized as leading cricketers globally, while West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran earned the title of world’s leading T20 player. The 2024 Wisden Almanack, which details these selections and more, will be published on Thursday.