Wisden Almanack 2020: Wisden Five Cricketers of the Year
Jofra Archer, Pat Cummins, Ellyse Perry, Simon Harmer, and Marnus Labschagne have been named the Wisden Five Cricketers of the Year by the 2020 edition of the Wisden Almanack.
Perry, the first overseas woman to win the award, was also named the Leading Woman Cricketer in the World, while Ben Stokes was named the Leading Cricketer in the World. Andre Russell was named the Leading T20 Cricketer in 2019.
BEN STOKES: LEADING CRICKETER IN THE WORLD IN 2019
ELLYSE PERRY: LEADING WOMAN CRICKETER IN THE WORLD IN 2019
ANDRE RUSSELL: LEADING T20 CRICKETER IN 2019
Jofra Archer’s award marks the end of a seismic first year in international cricket, with the Barbados-born quick bowling finishing England’s victorious World Cup campaign, in which he bowled the final-winning super over, as their leading wicket-taker. He then claimed six-wicket hauls in each of England’s wins in their drawn Ashes series with Australia.
Wisden Almanack 2020: Ellyse Perry became the first woman from overseas to be one of the Wisden Five Cricketers of the Year
Pat Cummins finished second in Australia’s wicket-takers charts at the World Cup and was the leading wicket-taker in his country’s first successful Ashes defence in England since 2001. Marnus Labuschagne also played a key part in that series, making four consecutive half-centuries after becoming Test cricket’s first concussion substitute, and also made 1,114 runs for Glamorgan in the County Championship.
Ellyse Perry was the star of Australia Women’s Ashes defence, taking 7-22 in the last of three ODIs – the best-ever figures by an Australian in the format – and scoring 187 runs for once out in the only Test match, with a draw ensuring her side retained the urn.
Simon Harmer was the only one of the Wisden Five Cricketers of the Year in 2020 to be awarded purely for his domestic exploits
Simon Harmer was the star of Essex’s stellar campaign, in which they became the first side to secure the ‘modern double’ of the County Championship and T20 Blast titles. The former South Africa spinner was Essex’s leading wicket taker in both competitions, taking 83 Championship wickets at 18.28 runs apiece to go with 17 T20 scalps and scoring eight off the last two balls of the final against Worcestershire to secure a heart-stopping triumph.
The Wisden Five Cricketers of the Year in 2019 were Rory Burns, Tammy Beaumont, Jos Buttler, Virat Kohli, and Sam Curran. Virat Kohli was also named the Leading Cricketer in the World the past three years, while India’s Smriti Mandhana was the Leading Woman Cricketer in the World in 2018. The first two Leading T20 Cricketer in the World awards were claimed by Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan.
