Ben Stokes has been voted the Professional Cricketers' Association players' player of the year after starring in England's maiden World Cup win and repeating his heroics during the Ashes series. Somerset's Tom Banton picked up the PCA young player of the year award, while England bowler Sophie Ecclestone collected the women's prize. Highlights of the English cricket season for Stokes included an unbeaten 84 in the World Cup final and a sensational 135 not out to win the third Test against Australia at Headingley. All-rounder Stokes, 28, was England's top run-scorer in the Ashes, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Speaking at the PCA awards ceremony in London on Wednesday, Stokes told the Press Association: "In terms of reflection, I think there will come a time where I will be able to take it all in but I don't think that will come until I retire really because it all comes so thick and fast. "This will definitely be a summer that I will be able to look back on forever." He added: "Winning the World Cup was an amazing feeling to be a part of -- seven weeks of hard toil to then walk away with the World Cup was brilliant, and then a great Ashes series to be part of." England Test skipper Joe Root paid tribute to his "awesome" team-mate, who is the Test vice-captain. "He's a massive driving force of this team, one of the senior players across the board," Root said. Young player of the year Banton has been included in England's Twenty20 squad for the winter tour to New Zealand after amassing more than 1,000 runs across the two domestic limited-overs competitions. jw/cw
