Yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow wins Young Cricketer of the Year
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Jonny Bairstow has followed in a long list of illustrious names by being voted this year's Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year.
The Yorkshire wicketkeeper-batsman, 21, received the award at the club's 65th anniversary lunch in the Long Room at Lord's, just three days after his England debut against India in Cardiff.
Bairstow received nearly double the votes of runner-up Chris Woakes.
He said: "I'm very proud and honoured to win the award."
The Bradford-born youngster is the ninth Yorkshireman to win the award.
Fred Trueman was the first Tyke to claim the prize in 1952, followed by Phil Sharpe (1962), Geoffrey Boycott (1963), Chris Old (1970), Ashley Metcalfe (1986), Richard Blakey (1987), Chris Silverwood (1996) and Adil Rashid (2007).
On his England debut, Bairstow hit 41 from 21 balls against India at Cardiff.
He added: "It was great playing that innings in Cardiff and I would obviously love to go on to play Test cricket for England. I know I have to concentrate on taking one step at a time."
Bairstow's late father David also starred for Yorkshire and represented England in four Tests and 21 one-day internationals. His elder brother, Andy, played first-class cricket briefly for Derbyshire.
The youngster had an excellent season, scoring 1,015 County Championship runs at 46.13, as well as hitting a century for England Lions against Sri Lanka A at Scarborough in August.
He made his maiden hundred, the first of three tons this summer, against Nottinghamshire in May, which turned into a double century - and also took 46 catches, mostly as Yorkshire wicketkeeper.
He also hit 385 runs in 10 CB40 innings for Yorkshire, as well as making a further 203 in the Friends Life t20.
But he added: "I'm hoping to improve on my one-day form next season as I wasn't too happy with it."
Previous award-winners include Sir Ian Botham, David Gower, six of the current England team, chairman of selectors Geoff Miller and 1991-winner Mark Ramprakash, who presented Bairstow with his trophy.
Of the previous 61 winners, only 10 have not gone on to play Test cricket and two of those, Rashid and Leicestershire batsman James Taylor, could still make the grade.
The award is restricted to England-qualified players under the age of 23 on 1 May.
Andrew Symonds, who made 26 Test appearances for Australia and helped them win the World Cup in 2003, was English-qualified when he picked up the award in 1995.
