The Dickie Bird Foundation is supporting the development of Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s individual Academy players. This year’s nominated player is Harry Brook.
Brook, 17, who made his First Class debut for Yorkshire against Pakistan A at Headingley in June, was selected in recognition of an outstanding season.
Dickie, who presented the award outside the Carnegie Pavilion, hopes that it will be possible to make an annual award to promising young Academy players.
“I am particularly delighted to support young Harry who has so impressed Martyn Moxon and the coaches during the last year,” he said. “It is especially satisfying that my Foundation can honour someone from my beloved Yorkshire County Cricket Club – the most well-known cricket club in the World.”
The vision of Dickie’s Foundation is to assist young people to participate, to the best of their ability, in the sport of their choice irrespective of their social circumstances, culture or ethnicity and to ensure that, in doing so, they improve their chances both inside and outside sport. On this occasion Dickie and his fellow Trustees are particularly pleased to include cricket as one of the numerous sports receiving donations.
Yorkshire CCC’s Academy & Development Coach Richard Damms said: “I am delighted that Harry has been awarded the accolade by the Dickie Bird Foundation. Harry is a talented young batsman who has come through the Yorkshire Schools age group teams and is now a member of the YCCC Academy.
“He is a regular in the 2nd XI and has most recently been selected to represent England U19s in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka. We all wish him well.
“This most generous award will help talented young players on their journey to becoming professionals for Yorkshire. It is a fantastic gesture and one that is very much appreciated by Harry and all at Yorkshire CCC.”
Two years after our award Harry has progressed well and was named captain of England’s squad for the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in India