PCA Awards 2026: Somerset Stars Steal the Show!

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-01

### A Night to Remember for Somerset Wednesday night in West London, the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) Awards brought together the best in cricket. And guess what? Somerset's Craig Overton and Sophie Luff took home the top honors. Their teammates, Sonny Baker and Tilly Corteen-Coleman, snagged the young player awards. It was a clean sweep for Somerset, and the room was buzzing. ### Craig Overton: The Comeback King Craig Overton had an incredible season. He scored 734 runs, including three centuries, and took 53 wickets in the County Championship. That's not all—he also helped Somerset reach Blast Finals Day with a stunning unbeaten 79 off just 30 balls against Yorkshire at Headingley. Then he joined Trent Rockets for the Hundred final. "It's a phenomenal feeling," Overton said. He hasn't played international cricket since 2022, but this award shows he's still got it. ### Sophie Luff: Breaking Barriers Sophie Luff, Somerset's captain, moved up to open the batting this year and absolutely crushed it. She finished as the club's top run-scorer in both the T20 Blast and the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. Plus, she played every game for Trent Rockets as they won the women's Hundred for the first time. Luff is the first uncapped player to win the women's award since Eve Jones in 2021. "I unlocked something by taking on the new role at the top of the order," she said. ### Young Guns Shine Sonny Baker, another Somerset academy product, won the men's young player award after making his Test debut for England at The Oval. He also played in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. In the Blast, he took 21 wickets for Hampshire, with five-wicket hauls in both the quarter-final and the final. Then he won the Hundred with Manchester Super Giants. "I dreamed of a Test debut since I was 11," Baker said. Tilly Corteen-Coleman, a 19-year-old left-arm spinner from Surrey, made her England debuts in ODI and T20I cricket this summer. She was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Hundred. She's eyeing a Test at Headingley in next summer's Ashes to complete her set of international caps. "I hope to join the red-ball camp ahead of 2027," she said. ### Special Recognition Heather Knight, who retired from international cricket this summer, received the PCA Outstanding Contribution award. She previously served as the association's vice-chair. Her former England teammate Tammy Beaumont received the ECB Special Merit award. Toyota sponsored the awards. PCA chief executive Daryl Mitchell called the event the most prestigious awards ceremony in cricket and said it lets the game finish the year by recognizing its players. ### Full List of Winners - Men's Player of the Year: Craig Overton (shortlisted: Joe Clarke, George Hill, Dan Lawrence) - Women's Player of the Year: Sophie Luff (shortlisted: Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley, Mady Villiers) - Men's Young Player of the Year: Sonny Baker (shortlisted: Charlie Allison, Naavya Sharma) - Women's Young Player of the Year: Tilly Corteen-Coleman (shortlisted: Jodi Grewcock, Charley Phillips) - Outstanding Contribution: Heather Knight - ECB Special Merit: Tammy Beaumont - Umpire of the Year: Ian Blackwell (men's) and Gabi Brown (women's) There you have it—a night full of surprises and well-deserved accolades. For more cricket news and updates, visit JeetWin Blog!