England all-rounder Ben Stokes who had a dream year has been voted as BBC’s ‘Sports Personality of the Year’. Also, the Men’s one day cricket team won the ‘Team of the Year’ award for their world cup win and the victory was voted ‘Greatest Sporting Moment of 2019’. Jos Buttler breaking the stumps was regarded as the ‘Moment of the Year’.
Stokes is the first cricketer to win the accolade since Andrew Flintoff in 2005. And he is only the fifth cricket overall since the award began in 1954. England players, the board & the barmy army had all started a campaign to get Stokes maximum votes. And their efforts paid off as the award was announced for him on Sunday 15th December as part of BBC’s annual sporting awards. Lewis Hamilton finished as the runner up for the second year in a row.
The talented cricketer had a smashing 2019 which included crucial performances in the World Cup & the Ashes. England lifted the trophy at Lord’s after the thrilling final against New Zealand. Stokes top-scored with 84* in that match to tie the scores after the regulation 50 overs. His 135* in the Headingly Test, which completed an unlikely one-wicket win for England, when they were nine down with still 73 to get, was another highlight of a strong summer for the all-rounder. And the award win towards the end has just put the cherry on top.
“It’s an individual award, but I play a team sport and one of the great things about that is you get to share special moments with those teammates, coaches and without that effort you put in, I wouldn’t be up here receiving this award so thank you so much,” Stokes said in his acceptance speech.
