Somerset captain Sophie Luff and Surrey’s Tilly Corteen-Coleman were the headline names at the 2026 Annual Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) Awards, with Luff crowned Women’s Player of the Year and Corteen-Coleman named Women’s Young Player of the Year in a ceremony that celebrated standout domestic performances and lasting contributions to English women’s cricket.
Held at the PCA’s annual dinner in West London on Wednesday night, the Toyota-sponsored event saw Luff recognised for a transformative summer in which she moved up the order to open for Somerset and delivered across formats. She finished as the club’s leading run-scorer in both the T20 Blast and the One-Day Cup and was an ever-present for the Trent Rockets as they won the Women’s Hundred for the first time. Her 536 runs at an average of 41.23 and a strike rate of 82.33 in 14 innings of the ECB Women’s One-Day Cup 2026, including three fifties and two centuries across 15 matches, underlined her consistency at the top.
“It’s super special [that] people have voted for me after the performances and impact they feel I’ve had this year,” Luff said, reflecting on the peer-voted honour. “I’ve always been a leader that wants to lead from the front. I’ve had a new role at Somerset opening the batting, and it’s safe to say it’s gone pretty well and I’ve probably unlocked something to bring the best out of me as a player.” Notably, she becomes the first uncapped winner of the women’s award since Eve Jones in 2021, a marker of how domestic excellence is increasingly shaping the national conversation.
In the youth category, 19-year-old left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman capped a breakthrough season by taking the Women’s Young Player of the Year award. After earning England debuts in both ODI and T20I cricket this summer, she finished as joint-highest wicket-taker in the Hundred and carried that form into the domestic one-day competition, where she claimed 12 wickets at an average of 22.08 and an economy of 4.06 in seven innings across seven matches.
“It’s obviously a huge privilege to win the award, and off the back of an incredible season, I couldn’t have been more excited about it,” Corteen-Coleman said. Looking ahead, she set a clear target: “It’s obviously a huge year next year for English cricket in 2027, so I’d love to be involved in as much as possible. There’s a red-ball camp, and I still haven’t made my Test debut, so that would be a great opportunity.” With the next Ashes set for Headingley, completing the set with a Test cap is now her stated ambition.
Beyond the headline awards, the evening honoured enduring influence and service. Heather Knight, who retired from international cricket this summer and previously served as PCA vice-chair, received the PCA Outstanding Contribution Award, recognising her leadership on and off the field. Former England team-mate Tammy Beaumont was presented with the ECB’s Special Merit Award, while Gabi Brown was named Women’s Umpire of the Year.
PCA Awards 2026:
Women’s Player of the Year – Sophie Luff
(shortlisted: Maia Bouchier, Sophia Dunkley, Mady Villiers)
Women’s Young Player of the Year – Tilly Corteen-Coleman
(shortlisted: Jodi Grewcock, Charley Phillips)
Outstanding Contribution Award – Heather Knight
ECB Special Merit – Tammy Beaumont
Women’s Umpire of the Year – Gabi Brown
For a women’s domestic season defined by higher tempo, deeper squads, and more visible pathways, these awards signal both the present strength and the emerging depth of English women’s cricket.
(Quotes sourced from Cricinfo)
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