Taylor claims prestigious double at Domestic Cricket Journalism Awards

​BBC Somerset presenter Charlie Taylor has claimed a prestigious double at the 2019 Domestic Cricket Journalism Awards.

Taylor won the coveted Young Domestic Cricket Journalist of the Year and Domestic Cricket Broadcaster of the Year awards, both of which carry the name of revered former commentator and journalist Christopher Martin-Jenkins.

It is the second time that Taylor has won the young journalist award, after his success in 2017, and highlighted a strong year for cricket journalism in Somerset.

The Somerset County Gazette was judged as a runner-up in the Regional Newspaper of the Year award, while its journalist Paul Martin was runner-up to Taylor in the young journalist award.

The Yorkshire Post was again rewarded for its outstanding coverage of domestic cricket, led by journalist Chris Waters, as it won the Regional Newspaper of the Year award for a second successive year. Staffordshire-based The Sentinel claimed the runner-up prize alongside the Somerset County Gazette.

The Cricketer.com also claimed back-to-back victories as it took home the Outstanding Online Coverage of Domestic Cricket while The Daily Telegraph was awarded the Outstanding Newspaper Coverage of Domestic Cricket award.

BBC Leicestershire commentator Richard Rae was runner-up to Taylor in the Broadcast Journalist of the Year award, with the judges “impressed by his warmth and humour – he is an entertaining listen.”

This year’s awards were presented at the House of Lords on Tuesday with the judging panel including pre-eminent cricket journalists and former England men’s internationals.

Cricket Writers Club Chair, Alison Mitchell, said: “These awards continue to shine a light on the impressive breadth and high quality of journalism that exists across the country in the domestic game. The Somerset media is particularly well represented among the winners and runners up this year, and we congratulate all those who have been recognised by the judges.

"The ECB’s financing of these awards means that individuals and media organisations who have won will have improved resources to put back into the domestic game this coming season, and we look forward to seeing the independent coverage produced. It was particularly gratifying to see the number of entries from the regional press, where desks are under the most pressure.

"Thanks also to the CWC members who gave up their time to judge these awards. Their wisdom is invaluable."

Judging Panel: Alison Mitchell (CWC Chair), Melinda Farrell, David Gower, Bruce Talbot, Jonathan Liew, David Lloyd, Vic Marks, Eleanor Oldroyd, Derek Pringle.

AWARD WINNERS

Christopher Martin-Jenkins Young Cricket Journalist of the Year

Winner: Charlie Taylor (BBC Somerset)

Runner Up: Paul Martin (Somerset County Gazette)

Christopher Martin-Jenkins Domestic Cricket Broadcaster of the Year

Winner: Charlie Taylor (BBC Radio Somerset)

Runner-up: Richard Rae (BBC Radio Leicestershire)

Regional Newspaper of the Year

Winner: Yorkshire Post

Runner-up: Somerset County Gazette & The Sentinel

Outstanding Newspaper Coverage of Domestic Cricket

Winner: The Daily Telegraph

Outstanding Online Coverage of Domestic Cricket

Winner: The Cricketer.com

ends