Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
New domestic professionals make up ultimate XI following historic 2021 season.
The first ever PCA Women’s Team of the Year has been decided by the PCA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Rankings to give an ultimate XI from the 2021 domestic season.
Following the introduction of 41 new female professionals into the PCA last year, as well as the establishment of two new competitions in The Hundred and the Charlotte Edwards Cup, 11 of the best players in women’s domestic cricket have been recognised for their efforts this year.
The team is led by cinch PCA Women’s Player of the Year and Charlotte Edwards Cup Player of the Year Eve Jones, and she is joined by cinch PCA Women’s Young Player of the Year Alice Capsey in the side.
Emma Lamb and Emily Arlott, who both received their first England call-ups this year, are also included alongside established international name Kate Cross, who has been recognised for her domestic form in 2021.
A wide cross-section of players sees seven of the eight regional centres represented in the PCA Women’s Team of the Year.
The team, each of whom will receive a personalised winner’s medal, was selected via the PCA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Rankings, with a new statistical algorithm producing the Overall MVP table in 2021.
PCA Women’s Team of the Year
Eve Jones (captain) [Central Sparks, Birmingham Phoenix]
- Most Overall MVP points (315)
- Over 800 runs in all formats
- cinch PCA Women’s Player of the Year
- Charlotte Edwards Cup Player of the Year
Georgia Adams (Southern Vipers, Oval Invincibles)
- 235 Overall MVP points
- 215 CE Cup runs at 35.8
- 12 RHF Trophy wickets at 14.4
- Winning RHF Trophy captain
Emma Lamb (Thunder, Manchester Originals)
- 2nd most Overall MVP points (272)
- 218 CE Cup runs at 72.7
- 9 CE Cup wickets at 7.33
- First England call-up
Alice Capsey (South East Stars, Oval Invincibles)
- 3rd most Overall MVP points (250)
- 495 runs in all formats
- 150 runs/10 wickets in The Hundred
- cinch PCA Women’s Young Player of the Year
Sophie Luff (Western Storm, Welsh Fire)
- 171 Overall MVP points
- Most RHF Trophy runs (417)
- 5 x 50+ scores in all comps
- Career best 157* vs Sunrisers
Bryony Smith (South East Stars, Welsh Fire)
- 247 Overall MVP points
- 30 wickets at 18.8 in all comps
- Most CE Cup wickets (14)
- First PCA Women’s Player of the Month
Abbey Freeborn (wicketkeeper) [Lightning, Trent Rockets]
- 138 Overall MVP points
- 2nd most fielding MVP points (39)
- 7 stumpings in all comps
- 315 runs in all comps at 19.7
Kate Cross (Thunder, Manchester Originals)
- 184 Overall MVP points
- 24 wickets in all comps
- 12 Hundred wickets at 14.1
- 36.3 batting average in RHF Trophy
Emily Arlott (Central Sparks, Birmingham Phoenix)
- 172 Overall MVP points
- 11 RHF Trophy wickets at 23.7
- Career best 5-29 vs Southern Vipers
- First England call-up
Linsey Smith (Northern Diamonds, Northern Superchargers)
- 238 Overall MVP points
- Most bowling MVP points (171)
- 31 wickets in all comps
- Career best 5-34 vs Western Storm
Lauren Bell (Southern Vipers, Southern Brave)
- 177 Overall MVP points
- 2nd most bowling MVP points (156)
- Most bowling MVP points for a seamer
- 26 wickets in all comps
The Overall MVP takes into account performances in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, the Charlotte Edwards Cup and The Hundred to produce the players who had the biggest impact throughout the season in all competitions.
Over £40,000 has been shared in prize money for the top performers in the MVP across 2021, with competition prize money equal across men’s and women’s domestic cricket, and the player who finished top of each table also received a winner’s medal for their efforts.
A new MVP formula was produced at the start of this season by the PCA alongside CricViz and the players for both red-ball and limited-overs cricket, with individuals who have excelled across all formats recognised in the IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year.
The IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year and first ever PCA Women’s Team of the Year make up the final two prizes of the 2021 cinch PCA Awards, which have been announced throughout the last weeks of the season, culminating with the four player-voted awards which were broadcast live on Sky Sports during day one of the Bob Willis Trophy final on Tuesday.
Find out more about the PCA MVP Rankings and view the women’s domestic table.
Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
