Sophie Ecclestone named NatWest Women’s Player of the summer

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Sophie Ecclestone named NatWest Women’s Player of the summer

Sophie Ecclestone in action. ©BCCI

With Sophie Ecclestone’s rise on the international scene, it is sometimes easy to forget that she is still only 19. An integral part of the England line-up since the women’s Ashes series last year, Ecclestone has seen her importance to the side continue to rise.



After an impressive summer for England and Lancashire, she was named at the PCA Awards as the NatWest Women’s Player of the Summer at a glitzy awards evening in London on Thursday.



It is all the remarkable considering the performances by her England teammates over the summer. Tammy Beaumont scored runs in every international series over that time. Amy Jones was named player of the series against New Zealand.



It was, however, the left-arm spinner who was the player to pick up the only award for a women’s player at the ceremony that celebrated the English cricket season. It is the 49th time that the awards have been staged. The PCA is the organisation that looks after the interest of the professional cricketers in England.



Ecclestone narrowly missed the England squad for the ICC World Cup in 2017 due to exam commitments. That did not stop her having a breakthrough Kia Super League season. That form hasn’t deserted her since and is a player that never seems flustered. That has been rewarded with several match-winning performances.



She was named player of the series against New Zealand and South Africa in the T20 tri-series that was staged between the two ODI series against the same teams. Ecclestone was also named as part of the England squad that will jet out to the Caribbean next month.



Ecclestone beat Tammy Beaumont and Katherine Brunt to lift the award. The Lancashire spinner would go on to add "It's just been an amazing summer for me, I'm so proud of myself."
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