Ben Stokes named BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2019 after Cricket World Cup and Headingley heroics

Malik Ouzia @MalikOuzia_16 December 2019

England cricket star Ben Stokes has been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2019.

The 28-year-old finished first in the public vote, with six-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton in second and women's 200m world champion Dina Asher-Smith completing the top three.

Stokes enjoyed a remarkable summer, producing a man-of-the-match display in July’s Cricket World Cup Final at Lord’s to help England to their maiden triumph with a dramatic Super-Over win over New Zealand.

Just six weeks later, the Durham all-rounder scored an incredible 135 not out – already regarded as one of the greatest Test innings of all-time – to carry his side to an unlikely victory in the third Ashes Test at Headingley.

Stokes, who becomes the fifth cricketer to win the award, had been given permission to miss the start of England’s tour of South Africa in order to attend the ceremony in Aberdeen on Sunday.

How England's epic summer of cricket unfolded

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England's World Cup winners enjoyed a sweep of sorts, also winning the awards for Team of the Year and Greatest Sporting Moment.

In his acceptance speech, Stokes thanked his team-mates and made reference to the incident outside a Bristol nightclub in 2017 that threatened to derail his career, before he was eventually cleared of affray.

“It’s an individual award and I play in a team sport," he said. "The best thing about that is you get to share special moments with teammates, backroom staff, and management.

“Two years ago was a tough time for me in my life and I’ve had so many people help me through that.