Keaton Jennings will go up against three fellow players after being nominated for the NatWest PCA Player of the Year award.
The opener’s remarkable season in all formats has been recognised by peers in being shortlisted for the award, which is voted for by all professional cricketers in England & Wales.
He will go up against Ben Duckett, Graham Napier and Jeetan Patel for headline award at the PCA’s 47th annual awards on Wednesday, September 28.
And he is hoping to making it a second straight success for Durham after Chris Rushworth won the gong in 2015.
The 24-year-old, who has signed a new four-year deal with the county, broke a multitude of the club’s batting records en route to an unforgettable 2016 season in all three formats of the game.
His headline Specsavers County Championship exploits have rightly earned recognition as he is set to become the first Durham batsman to top the run-scoring charts for the competition.
A club record seven centuries, including two unbeaten doubles, has led to over 1,500 runs – one of only three batsman to reach such heights since 2011. He needs 79 more from the final innings at Hampshire to eclipse the record for first-class runs in a season.
And his career-best 88 in the NatWest T20 Blast final against the Northants Steelbacks boosted his haul to 348 runs for the competition, at an average of 43.50.
His medium pace in the middle overs also yielded 11 wickets across both white ball competitions, while he provided the moment of the season by smashing nine off the final two balls to defeat the Notts Outlaws in the Royal London One-Day Cup opener.
The left-hander’s exceptional year has also earned an England Lions call for the upcoming winter tour to Dubai.