Nicholas scoops PCA Cricket Book of the Year Former Hampshire captain turned broadcaster Mark Nicholas won the Professional Cricketers’ Association Cricket Book of the Year Award at this year’s Cross Sports Book Awards held at a star-studded ceremony at Lord’s. This year the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust was nominated as the awards’ charity, providing a further boost to fund-raising during the PCA’s 50th anniversary. A Legacy Year Appeal has been launched with the aim of raising £ 250,000 for the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust which provides support for past and present county cricketers and their immediate family members in their hour of need. Nicholas took the prestigious Cricket Book of the Year prize for A Beautiful Game, a personal account of the world of cricket. Books by three more PCA members, Graeme Fowler, Alan Butcher and Jonathan Trott were among those shortlisted for the prize won by Nicholas. Trott’s Unguarded was also shortlisted for the Cross Autobiography of the Year Award, a prize won by footballer Joey Barton, with South Africa batsman AB De Villiers shortlisted for the Sky Sports International Autobiography of the Year. Dame Katherine Grainger, chair of the judging panel, said: ” It has been an absolute privilege to be a judge for this year’s awards but, I think I can speak for all the judges when I say, it’s also been a complete headache and challenge in the best possible way. “The books were really outstanding and every book on the shortlist opened up something new about sport or about the athlete in question making for fascinating reading. ” The decision-making process wasn’t easy but after much discussion, deliberation, and a little arguing, we have agreed that Joey Barton is the winner for his refreshingly raw and candid autobiography. It is an honest portrayal of a football player confronting his history and his behaviour, examining both his bad boy reputation and the philosopher within. It makes for a stimulating and entertaining read.” Each of the nine winning titles is now put to an online public vote to determine the overall Cross Sports Book of the Year in association with The Times. Everyone who votes at www.sportsbookawards.com is entered into a prize draw to win £ 100 of National Book Tokens. The public vote is open until midnight on 9th June with the winner announced shortly after. Isa Guha (Non-Executive Director of PCA) and Clare Drysdale from Mark Nicholas’ publisher – Allen & Unwin accepting the award on behalf of Mark Nicholas. The complete list of winners: Cross Autobiography of the Year No Nonsense: The Autobiography by Joey Barton (Simon & Schuster) The Times Biography of the Year The Maverick Mountaineer by Robert Wainwright (Atlantic Books) The Professional Cricketers’ Association Cricket Book of the Year A Beautiful Game by Mark Nicholas (Allen & Unwin) Maserati Cycling Book of the Year Triumphs and Turbulence: My Autobiography by Chris Boardman (Ebury Press) Specsavers Football Book of the Year Forever Young by Oliver Kay (Quercus) Thomson Reuters Illustrated Book of the Year The Lane by Adam Powley & Martin Cloake (Vision Sports Publishing) Artbuthnot Latham Rugby Book of the Year The Battle by Paul O’Connell (Penguin Ireland) Freshtime New Writer of the Year And The Sun Shines Now by Adrian Tempany (Faber & Faber) Sky Sports International Autobiography AwardFind A Way by Diana Nyad (Macmillan) Outstanding Contribution to Sports WritingHugh McIlvanney For more information about the 2017 Cross Sports Book Awards click here. {{ak_sharing}}
