England all-rounder Stokes nominated for Players’ Player of the Year

Ben Stokes hit 135 not out as England recorded a remarkable Test victory over Australia at Headingley

England all-rounder Ben Stokes is one of four players nominated for the Players’ Player of the Year by the Professional Cricketers’ Association.

Stokes helped England win the men’s World Cup for the first time before starring in the Ashes.

Essex spinner Simon Harmer, Gloucestershire all-rounder Ryan Higgins and Warwickshire batsman Dom Sibley are also nominated.

The winner will be announced in London on Wednesday, 2 October.

Stokes, 28, is looking to become the sixth person to win the PCA Players’ Player of the Year and the Young Player of the Year, having won the latter in 2013.

He scored an unbeaten 84 in the World Cup final to help beat New Zealand at Lord’s in a Super Over, and was then England’s star performer with the bat in the Ashes, scoring 441 runs, including a match-winning 135 not out in his side’s stunning one-wicket win at Headingley.

South African Harmer, 30, helped Essex to victory in the T20 Blast and could add the County Championship title on Thursday.

Zimbabwe-born Higgins, 24, has played a key part as Gloucestershire secured promotion back to Division One of the County Championship for the first time since 2005.

Sibley, 24, has been called up to the England Test squad for this winter’s tour of New Zealand after a prolific season for the Bears, scoring 1,324 Championship runs at at average of 69.68 prior to their final game of the season against Yorkshire.

The former Surrey opener has also been nominated for the Young Player of the Year, alongside Somerset’s Tom Banton, Gloucestershire’s James Bracey and fellow England call-up Zak Crawley, of Kent.

Spinner Sophie Ecclestone, all-rounder Katherine Brunt and batter Amy Jones are nominated for the Women’s Player of the Summer, with Ecclestone looking to win the award for the second successive year.