Merseyside Cricket Online’s Tom Evans has collected a prestigious double award in the ECB Domestic Cricket Journalism Awards.

The Liverpool ECHO, which carries Tom’s coverage of the Liverpool Competition and other local leagues, was named Regional Newspaper of the Year, and received the gong for Outstanding Coverage.

The newspaper won both awards last year, having also won the Regional Newspaper award in 2021.

Tom was presented with the awards at the Kia Oval in South London today by Cricket Writers’ Club chairman Dean Wilson and Surrey and England wicketkeeper Sam Billings.

Judges from the Cricket Writers’ Club said: “In winning the Regional Newspaper of the Year award for the third time in four years, the Liverpool ECHO has again combined comprehensive reporting of its regional club cricket, including stand-out player interviews, with feature content that highlights wider cricket and human interest issues.

“ECHO cricket writer Tom Evans clearly puts a lot of thought into the paper’s overall coverage and its pages are also attractively and professionally presented, with good use of pictures. 

“Stories which particularly caught the judges’ eyes included the role cricket had played in the recovery from drug and alcohol addiction of a prominent local club player and a regional take – again with strong interview content – on the ICEC report.”

Regarding the Outstanding Coverage award, they added: “The first thing that stood out was Tom’s writing style. 

“He is engaging, warm and entertaining.

“More broadly, he has gone the extra mile to tell the story behind the story. 

“He has added to local cricket the human angle that we all crave when covering the top levels of the game. 

“The way he brought the ICEC report back to his patch was also incredibly impressive.”

Tom, 44, lives in Gateacre with his wife and two children. He began covering cricket for the ECHO in 2018 and established Merseyside Cricket Online in 2022.

He said: “It’s honestly overwhelming to have my coverage recognised and honoured like this.

“With the new season just around the corner – weather permitting – this recognition will inspire me to go the extra mile again.”

Test Match Special’s Melissa Story won the coveted Christopher Martin-Jenkins Broadcaster of the Year award, while Wisden writer and podcaster Katya Witney was named Christopher Martin-Jenkins Young Journalist of the Year.

The Cricketer Online won the Outstanding Online Coverage for a record sixth successive time.

The awards were presented at the official launch of the new domestic season, when Surrey captain Rory Burns was presented with the 2023 County Championship pennant.