The Cricketer scoops county coverage crown in ECB Domestic Cricket Journalism Awards

The prize, which has been claimed by BBC Online and ESPNcricinfo in recent years, reflects both The Cricketer’s commitment to the county game and its substantial digital growth in 2018

The Cricketer has won the Outstanding Online Coverage of Domestic Cricket award in the ECB Domestic Cricket Journalism Awards, marking a superb year for our expanding digital presence and peerless magazine.

The prize, which has been claimed by BBC Online and ESPNcricinfo in recent years, reflects both The Cricketer’s commitment to the county game and its substantial digital growth in 2018.

Since launching a new website in February 2018, visitor numbers to www.thecricketer.com have increased by around 300 per cent, with county cricket a major factor.

Building on the excellent county coverage provided in print by managing editor Huw Turbervill, assistant editor James Coyne and their team, the digital operation has set out its stall to give cricket fans a variety of enjoyable, informative content which takes into account each of the 18 clubs.

The County Hub – a one-stop shop for news from the domestic cricket scene in England and Wales – provides fans with the latest breaking news, informed opinion, interviews and entertaining features, while each of the 18 counties have their own individual homepages.

^{The Cricketer has won the Outstanding Online Coverage of Domestic Cricket award in the ECB Domestic Cricket Journalism Awards}

Cricket Publishing Ltd chief executive Guy Evans-Tipping said: “The Cricketer Magazine has been publishing the world’s best cricket magazine for 98 years. In the last 12 months, we have turned our attention to producing the same level of excellence in our online offering. This award is a testament to that hard work led by our excellent digital editor Sam Morshead.”

Gordon Hollins, ECB Managing Director, County Cricket, said: “Our domestic game is always enriched by the great support and coverage it receives from the media, both nationally and locally.

“There was a really wide-ranging number of entries, from the traditional written press to websites, online hubs and podcasts, and it demonstrates the extent to which people want to engage with our domestic competitions.”

VISIT THE COUNTY HUB

Mark Baldwin, Cricket Writers’ Club chairman, said: “These annual awards continue to grow in stature and are now well established. We in cricket’s media congratulate ECB on ensuring that high-quality coverage of the domestic game is being properly acknowledged.

“The judging panel was particularly struck this year by the record number of entries received in each category and were heartened by the high standards on show, especially in the young journalist category which attracted 12 entries. The future of cricket journalism does seem very bright.

“On behalf of the Cricket Writers’ Club, and the wider game, I would like to thank everyone who entered this year’s awards. The increasing success of these awards will continue to benefit and encourage all those who report, write and broadcast on English domestic cricket.”

^{Charlotte Edwards of Hampshire and Rory Burns of Surrey}

The Cricketer received the award at a presentation at the House of Lord’s on Tuesday, along with the winners of the other four categories.

Isabelle Westbury, a regular in the pages of The Cricketer, won the Christopher Martin-Jenkins Young Cricket Journalist of the Year award, while The Yorkshire Post scooped both the Outstanding Newspaper Coverage and Regional Newspaper of the Year prizes.

Alex Winter, of BBC Radio Northampton, claimed the Broadcaster of the Year award.

Also in attendance at the event were the victorious Surrey County Championship squad and the Hampshire side which won the Women's One-Day County Championship. Both were presented with Lord's Taverners trophies to mark their successes.

WINNERS AND HIGHLY COMMENDED

Christopher Martin-Jenkins Young Cricket Journalist of the Year: Isabelle Westbury

Commended: Matt Roller, Cricinfo; Ben Gardner, Wisden Cricket Monthly; Will Macpherson, Evening Standard; Paul Martin, County Gazette; Charlie Taylor, BBC Somerset

Outstanding Newspaper Coverage: The Yorkshire Post

Highly commended: The Times

Regional Newspaper of the Year: The Yorkshire Post

Highly commended: Evening Standard; County Gazette

Outstanding Online Coverage of Domestic Cricket: The Cricketer

Commended: Cricbuzz; CRICKETher

Broadcast Journalist of the Year: Alex Winter, BBC Radio Northampton