Sussex and Three Bridges cricketer Alfie Pyle wins prestigious award

Alfie Pyle receiving his England cap. Picture: submitted

Crawley cricketer Alfie Pyle has already won a lot of accolades this year – and on Monday he received another.

The 21-year-old, who plays for Three Bridges and Sussex, recently made his debut for the England Learning Disability XI and has become something of a hero on and off the field.

He lifted the Disability Premier League trophy with the England Hawks, after they beat the England Pirates in

the final, live on Sky Sports, and has since become the first Lord's Taverners Super 1s participant to go from

a hub setting, through the county system and onto England honours.

Pyle is now also putting something back into the system that helped him gain international recognition as a

coach.

"I am so happy that I'm doing the Lord's Taverners (Super 1s coaching). People are going to be looking up at

me doing coaching. They'll want to be a coach like me, and I'm so happy that I'm coaching kids. One day

they'll be playing for England like me."

All the awards were presented at the Cricket Writers' Club Annual Awards Lunch at the London Marriott

Hotel, Grosvenor Square, on Monday .

CWC Chair Dean Wilson said: “Huge congratulations to all our award winners who were rightly celebrated at

a fantastic event for more than 320 members and guests.

“Players such as Harry Brook and Lauren Filer have entertained us all in a memorable year for the game

while the story of Alfie Pyle’s progression from Super 1s to the England learning disability team is a triumph.”

Pyle also picked up the Rising Star Award at the Variety Club Disability Sports Awards 2023 earlier in the month at a glittering ceremony in Leeds.

He was part of the inaugural DPL last year – a pan disability competition playing with and against England Deaf players and England Physical Disability players. Following these performances, he was selected to train with the England Learning Disability Squad and will be selected for the Tri series in South Africa this month – making his international Debut against South Africa and Australia.

Pyle also won the Sports Person award at this year’s Crawley Community Awards, held at the Hawth in June.