The Lamine Yamal award for youthful brilliance
Tom Norton
Not many people take a hat-trick on their Championship debut. Even fewer when they’re a teenager. But in early May, 18-year-old Norton roared in like the north wind against Somerset and wrecked their top order. His delighted teammates chased him around Sophia Gardens, patting his impressive beard. By August, he’d been ruled out of the rest of the season with a stress fracture of the back. But, even without him, Glamorgan survived their first year back in the top tier, and batters will be nervously waiting in 2027. He made quite the first impression.
The knotted-hanky award for perseverance
County groundstaff
As heatwave followed heatwave, and the rest of us skulked in the shadows, there was no rest for the county groundstaff. With temperatures in the middle hitting the mid-30s day after day, they found themselves doing split shifts and working late into the evenings when the sun had gone down, in order to prepare more pitches, for more games. The corresponding lack of rainfall added to the difficulties, and trying to maintain moisture without scorching the square became the equivalent of squaring the circle. Time for a cup of tea and a welcome pair of thermal socks.
The nice guys don’t finish last award
Ethan Bamber
The Championship’s leading wicket-taker (with 69 of the things) mingled on the outfield at Edgbaston last Saturday after Warwickshire were awarded the winner’s trophy. Bamber had already been called the nicest man in cricket by his captain, Ed Barnard, and the hardest working by Sam Hain, before he auditioned for the most modest when talking to reporters (while signing a supporter’s miniature bat.) “You always wonder, as an average cricketer like me, how high your ceiling is, and in quiet moments I wasn’t sure I quite had it,” he said as he was passed a plastic cup of champagne and a man in a Scooby Doo costume sidled alongside. “Here I’ve been given the opportunity and space to express myself on the field. I feel like I have been the beneficiary of a really good group.” Bear hugs all round.
The what becomes of the broken-hearted award
Somerset
Seven times the bridesmaid this century, never in 136 years the bride. Tom Abell’s triple hundred on the final day of the season softened the blow a little for the Somerset faithful, but there was a sad taste at the bottom of the cider glass. Somerset had led the Championship into the penultimate match of the season and all over the south-west people were booking four days off work to head to the County Ground. This year Craig Overton was immense with bat and ball, but they still stumbled. Here’s to next year (and the one after).
The pen and paper award for digital detoxing
Kent
After finishing at the bottom of the pile in 2025, Kent needed to race out of the blocks this summer. They didn’t, ending April at the bottom of Division Two with only 21 points to show for their efforts. Coach Adam Hollioake then made the decision to pull the plug, switching comments off on the club’s social media accounts, saying it would allow the players “to think and play with freedom and clarity”. What a stroke of genius. Kent won promotion and return to the top tier with a spring in their step, and a Nokia brick in their pocket.
The Granita award for decision making
The Riverside
When Ben Stokes was dropped by England after a late-night excursion to Chelsea’s Rex Rooms, he returned to the bosom of Chester-le-Street in glorious midsummer. There 871 people had the pleasure of watching the England captain unchained, 18 fours panned over the rope in a carefree 95 against Northants. He looked relaxed as he warmed up, practised in the nets, signed autographs, and his visit north turned out to be a Rubicon. Eight days later he had retired from international cricket and spent the rest of the season playing for Durham, grabbing 25 wickets, dabbing four fifties, and helping them become the runaway winners of Division Two.
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Poisoned chalice award for seasonal success
Lancashire
The Guardian weren’t the only paper to tip Lancashire for promotion (honestly). But after a promising April, their form concertinaed. Hit by injuries, particularly to Ajeet Singh Dale and Luke Wells, and loss of form, they stumbled through May, limped through June, crawled through September, until, in the final game of the season, on a friendly 0ld Trafford surface, they finally passed 300 for the first time in five months. But with the DOC sacked, the end of season awards’ dinner cancelled, and finishing 17th in the table for the first time in their history, it was back to the Manchester drawing board.
The salted caramel award for innovation
Surrey
Surrey didn’t win a lot on the pitch this year, and even dirtied their hands by flirting with relegation, but off it, they hit the jackpot. Their “working from the cricket” scheme which invited people to bring their laptops to Championship matches at The Oval and plug in at a desk to experience new super-fast broadband, turned out to be the invitation everyone had been waiting for. It even became headline news in New Zealand, another country struggling with attendances at their national sport, and you wondered why nobody had thought of it before.
The stag-night award for good stories
Tom Abell and Dom Bess
When Somerset and Yorkshire met at Headingley in the penultimate round of the season, it was more than just a chance for Somerset to stay ahead of their rivals. It was an opportunity for Abell to get some good material on his old teammate Bess, whose wedding he is attending as best man in October. But the bridegroom-to-be stole all the best lines, crafting 77 frustrating runs off his old muckers, ensuring Yorkshire won the game and breaking Somerset hearts in the process.
