Cook wins writers' award

Alastair Cook © Getty Images

Essex batsman Alastair Cook has been voted young cricketer of the year by the Cricket Writers’ Club.

The 20-year-old left-hander, who has played all Essex’s first-class games this season, polled 77% of the votes.

The Gloucester-born player, who took Kevin Pietersen’s place on the England A tour of Sri Lanka last winter, succeeds England batsman Ian Bell as recipient of the award and does so on the day he reached 1,000 runs for Essex during the 2005 campaign.