Matt Milnes and Coco Streets both earned several accolades at the 2026 Spitfire Kent Cricket End of Season Awards, proudly sponsored by Shepherd Neame.
Milnes, who returned to the Club after three years away this season, scooped four Men’s accolades, including Men’s Player of the Year as voted by the Club’s Members and supporters.
Streets’ stellar 2026 season was capped off by winning Women’s Player of the Year, for the first time decided by Kent Members and supporters, as well as Players’ Player of the Year and Batter of the Year after her three centuries for the Horses this Summer.
Milnes was also named Men’s Players’ Player of the Year, Spitfire White Ball Player of the Year and Men’s Bowler of the Year, after finishing 2026 as Kent’s top wicket taker in the Rothesay County Championship and Vitality Blast, taking 84 wickets in 31 matches, including career-best figures of 6 for 12 against Derbyshire back in May.
Held in the MADE AV Harris Suite at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury, Kent’s Men’s & Women’s squads, coaches, staff, partners and those lucky enough to have purchased tickets gathered together to look back on the 2026 season and say goodbye to those on and off the field that will be leaving the Club this Winter.
The Club celebrated Men’s & Women’s successes this year, with two semi finals for Kent Women in the Women’s Metro Bank One Day Cup and Vitality Blast, and Kent Men’s promotion back to Division One of the Rothesay County Championship.
Other award winners on the night included Hollie Young & Tawanda Muyeye, who both won their respective Fielder of the Year awards, whilst Chris Benjamin was named Men’s Batter of the Year after over 1,400 all-format runs for Kent this season.
Sydney Gorham’s 28 wickets in 2026 saw her earn the Women’s Bowler of the Year award, whilst fellow bowler, leg-spinner Isabella James, was crowned Women’s Young Player of the Year.
Ekansh Singh’s breakout season earned him the title of Men’s Young Player of the Year, with another young Kent talent, Ben Dawkins, earning Moment of the Year after his new first-class best of 180 against eventual Division Two winners Durham at The County Ground, Beckenham.
Zeena Bilal’s reverse sweep for four to win the match against Northamptonshire Steelbacks Women on the way to Kent Women’s semi-final finish in the Women’s Metro Bank One Day Cup was awarded as Women’s Moment of the Year.
2026 Spitfire Kent Cricket End of Season Awards winners in full:
Men’s awards:
- Club Player of the Year: Matt Milnes
- Players’ Player of the Year: Matt Milnes
- Young Player of the Year: Ekansh Singh
- Batter of the Year: Chris Benjamin
- Bowler of the Year: Matt Milnes
- Fielder of the Year: Tawanda Muyeye
- Spitfire White Ball Player of the Year: Matt Milnes
- Moment of the Year: Ben Dawkins’ career-best 180 vs. Durham at The County Ground, Beckenham
Women’s awards:
- Club Player of the Year: Coco Streets
- Players’ Player of the Year: Coco Streets
- Young Player of the Year: Isabella James
- Batter of the Year: Coco Streets
- Bowler of the Year: Sydney Gorham
- Fielder of the Year: Hollie Young
- Moment of the Year: Zeena Bilal’s dramatic four from the final ball to seal victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks Women
Picture supplied by Oyster Bay Photography.