Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith, Sophie Ecclestone among Wisden’s cricketers of the year

Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith, Sophie Ecclestone among Wisden’s cricketers of the year | Cricket News

April 22, 2025:

England trio Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith and Sophie Ecclestone have been named among Wisden’s cricketers of the year, with Liam Dawson and Dan Worrall making up the almanack’s famous five.

The honour has a lineage dating back to 1889 and can be won once in a career, based on performances from the previous English summer.

Atkinson was a red hot favourite to earn a nod in the 2025 edition after a remarkable first year in Test cricket. He seamlessly picked up the baton from the retiring James Anderson with 12 debut wickets in the latter’s Lord’s farewell and later scored a maiden century at the Home of Cricket before finishing the year with 52 wickets.

Surrey team-mate Smith also enjoyed a striking breakthrough after being fast-tracked as England’s new wicketkeeper ahead of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes, matching solid glovework with muscular hitting to settle a long-running selection debate.

England Women may have endured a rocky period that saw head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight axed, but the only surprise about Ecclestone’s award is that she has never previously been recognised.

The world’s number one bowler in both ODI and T20 cricket was typically productive in an encouraging campaign that gave no hint of the dramatic downturn that awaited the team and becomes the first English woman to be named in the Wisden quintet since Tammy Beaumont in 2019.

Her fellow left-arm spinner Dawson has been acknowledged for an outstanding 2024 season with Hampshire, while Worrall’s appearance completes a hat-trick of Surrey names, alongside Atkinson and Smith. The seamer played three ODIs for Australia in 2016 but is close to qualifying for England and played an integral part in keeping county title at the Kia Oval last year.

Wisden editor Lawrence Booth crowned Indian duo Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana as the leading cricketers in the world, the latter succeeding England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt to claim the women’s award. West Indies batter Nicolas Pooran was named as the game’s leading T20 cricketer.

New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner is also the third winner of the Wisden Trophy, succeeding Jonny Bairstow and Travis Head for his figures of 13-157 as New Zealand stunned India in the Second Test at Pune on their way to a 3-0 whitewash.

England men’s Test matches this summer ☀️

All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all live on Sky Sports

vs Zimbabwe: Thursday May 22-Sunday May 25 – Trent Bridge
vs India: Friday June 20-Tuesday June 24 – Headingley
vs India: Wednesday July 2-Sunday July 6 – Edgbaston
vs India: Thursday July 10-Monday July 14 – Lord’s
vs India: Wednesday July 23-Sunday July 27 – Emirates Old Trafford
vs India: Thursday July 31-Monday August 4 – The Kia Oval

Ashes series in Australia 2025-26 🏏

All times UK and Ireland

First Test: Friday November 21-Tuesday November 25 (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, Perth
Second Test: Thursday December 4-Monday December 8 (4.30am) – The Gabba, Brisbane
Third Test: Wednesday December 17-Sunday December 21 (12am) – Adelaide Oval
Fourth Test: Thursday December 25-Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground
Fifth Test: Sunday January 4-Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground

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