Central Sparks skipper and Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix batter Eve Jones has made history to become the first female domestic professional to win one of the main cinch PCA Awards as she picked up the cinch PCA Women’s Player of the Year.
Jones is named alongside England Test captain Joe Root, Harry Brook and Alice Capsey as winners of the coveted prizes, which are voted for by the players’ fellow professionals, and this year the main winners at the 52nd edition of the cinch PCA Awards were announced live on Sky Sports during day one of the Bob Willis Trophy final.
After 41 new PCA members were inducted into the Association ahead of the 2021 season, Jones makes history as the first ever domestic female professional cricketer to pick up one of the player-voted cinch PCA Awards, with all the previous winners having been England players.
Jones is a deserved winner of the cinch PCA Women’s Player of the Year, having made over 800 runs across the three competitions she has played in, runs which inspired Central Sparks and Birmingham Phoenix to be within one game of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and The Hundred finals.
The 29-year-old, who has already claimed the PCA Women’s Overall Domestic MVP and the Charlotte Edwards Cup Player of the Year, beats England’s Sophia Dunkley and Nat Sciver, as well as Western’s Storm’s Danielle Gibson, to the award. Jones succeeds Sarah Glenn who won the 2020 accolade.
cinch PCA Women’s Player of the Year, Jones, said: “I never expected to pick up an award like this, so I’m really delighted that my fellow players have voted for me to win. It means a great deal. Some fantastic players have won this award so it’s nice to follow in their footsteps and get my name on the trophy alongside theirs.
“It’s been a long time coming for a lot of the girls to dedicate more time to playing and training, so I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being a professional throughout the last year. Having cricket as my main career is something that I’ve dreamed of for a long time.
Eve Jones
“It’s been great to be a part of the PCA. The support we get is fantastic and it’s really helped us to transition from semi-professional to professional cricket. It’s been great to chat to them and pick their brains about how to be a full-time cricketer.
“I’d love to play for England and put that shirt on one day. But if it doesn’t, I’m having the best time of my life and I’ll still relish the opportunities to play cricket around the world.”
This year’s main cinch PCA Award winners picked up brand-new trophies created exclusively for the PCA by the Association’s new partner Mappin & Webb. The existing Reg Hayter Cup (awarded to the cinch PCA Men’s Player of the Year), John Arlott Cup (cinch PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year) and the plate for the previous main women’s award are to be put on display at the PCA’s office at the Kennington Oval.
PCA Chief Executive, Rob Lynch, said: “A huge congratulations must go to the four main award winners at this year’s cinch PCA Awards – all of you are thoroughly deserving recipients.
“I would also like to put in a word for the winners at the cinch PCA Awards who have been announced throughout the last few weeks. Your performances have been absolutely sensational during what has been a memorable season with the return of capacity crowds.
“Finally, thanks must also go to cinch for making the PCA Awards possible and for the company’s commitment to supporting the professional game across the board. It is valued by everyone within the game and long may our partnership continue.”
