James Coles and John Simpson Named in IG PCA Men's Team of the Year 2025

The Sussex duo have been selected for the 2025 IG PCA Men's Team of the Year, which is chosen by using the PCA's MVP ranking system, powered by OFX, to select the statistically best team in the country.

Between them, the pair amassed more than 3,000 runs across all formats this season, with both players surpassing 1,000 runs in the Rothesay County Championship, during the final match of the season at Worcestershire.

Coles has already been recognised for his wonderful 2025 campaign, taking home both the Red Ball and White Ball Player of the Year at the Club's End of Season Awards. 

His 1,032 County Championship runs came at an average of 46.9 and the 21-year-old also took 35 wickets across all formats.

As for Simpson, it was another fantastic year for the Sussex captain. He finished as the fourth-highest run scorer in Division One, with 1,086 runs at an average of 60.33 with four centuries to his name. It was another sparkling year for him with the gloves, too, with 66 dismissals to his name across all formats.

Congratulations, both! #GOSBTS

Full PCA Press Release:

The ultimate domestic players in 2025 have been chosen by the PCA Most Valuable Player Rankings, powered by OFX, to create the 2025 IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year. 

Incredibly, seven players are making their debuts in the IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year with only Hampshire’s Kyle Abbott, Nottinghamshire’s Joe Clarke and Durham’s Alex Lees joining Warwickshire’s Ed Barnard as previously selected players. There is further PCA Awards pedigree in the team with Leicestershire’s Rehan Ahmed and Sussex’s James Coles shortlisted for the Toyota PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year award with Essex’s Jordan Cox nominated for the main prize.

Worcestershire’s Tom Taylor picked up the most bowling points in the year with an impressive 346.89 points, largely thanks to finishing the season as the leading wicket-taker in the County Championship. Cox achieved the most batting points in a phenomenal year earning 394.89, finishing ahead of Lees and Clarke. The 24-year-old also picked up The Hundred Men’s Player of the Year, lifting the trophy with Oval Invincibles. 

All-rounder Ed Barnard returns to the side from 2024 in a season that saw him dominate domestic cricket. The 29-year-old once again displayed his fine all-round talents winning the PCA Men’s Domestic Overall MVP award, Barnard is also nominated for the Toyota PCA Men’s Player of the Year accolade, having been nominated for the Young Player title in 2018 – a year in which he also made the best men’s XI. 

This well-balanced side has been selected via the MVP with points from the Rothesay County Championship, Vitality Blast, Metro Bank One Day Cup and The Hundred PCA MVP all taken into consideration. The MVP takes into account batting, bowling and fielding contributions as well as match defining efforts using a unique algorithm developed by CricViz. Therefore, the top 11 players according to the MVP points are not automatically selected, with players such as Worcestershire’s Ethan Brookes and Surrey’s Will Jacks unlucky to miss out due to the strength of all-rounder options.

The PCA Awards in partnership with Toyota takes place at Exhibition White City, London on Thursday 9 October where the most prestigious awards ceremony in the game will celebrate the top performing players in international and domestic cricket. 

All players selected in the 2025 IG PCA Men’s Team of the Year will receive a personalised winners medal from official trophy partner, Mappin & Webb. 

Alex Lees (Durham)

• 418.95 MVP points

• 1,736 runs in all competitions

• Scored hundreds in all three formats

• Averaged 71 in One Day Cup with two centuries

Haseeb Hameed (Nottinghamshire)

• 359.97 MVP points

• Captained Nottinghamshire to County Championship title

• Second leading run-scorer in County Championship Divisions One with 1,258

• Four hundreds in County Championship, averaging 66.21

Joe Clarke (Nottinghamshire / Birmingham Phoenix)

• 397.83 MVP points

• 1,313 runs in all competitions

• 420 runs in the Blast, including four fifties

• 160.3 strike-rate in the Blast

Jordan Cox (Essex / Oval Invincibles) 

• 453.89 MVP points, most batting points with 394.89

• Won The Hundred Men’s Player of the Year

• Leading run-scorer in The Hundred and won title with Oval Invincibles

• Shortlisted for Toyota PCA Men’s Player of the Year

James Coles (Sussex / Southern Brave)

• 548.86 MVP points

• Scored 1,032 County Championship runs, averaging 46.9

• Scored 1,553 and took 35 wickets in all competitions

• Shortlisted for Toyota PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year

Ed Barnard (Warwickshire) Captain

• 555.82 MVP points

• Won PCA Men’s Domestic Overall MVP award

• 1,615 runs in all competitions with four hundreds

• Shortlisted for Toyota PCA Men’s Player of the Year

Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire / Trent Rockets)

• 454.12 MVP points

• Scored 1,284 runs and took 43 wickets in all competitions

• Scored five County Championship hundreds

• Shortlisted for Toyota PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year

John Simpson (Sussex / London Spirit) Wicketkeeper

• 394.49 MVP points

• Took 66 dismissals and scored 1,560 runs in all competitions

• Scored 1,086 runs in County Championship, averaging 60.33

• Scored four County Championship hundreds with 181* highest score

David Willey (Northamptonshire / Trent Rockets)

• 398.07 MVP points

• Won Vitality Blast Men’s Player of the Year

• Scored 452 in the Blast with four fifties

• Took 20 wickets in the Blast and nine in The Hundred

Tom Taylor (Worcestershire)

• 459.23 MVP points

• Leading wicket-taker in County Championship Division One with 58

• Most MVP bowling points with 346.89

• 20 white-ball wickets across the Blast and One Day Cup

Kyle Abbott (Hampshire)

• 408.69 MVP points

• Second leading wicket-taker in County Championship Division One with 56

• Averaged 20.69 with four five-fers in County Championship

• Bowled most maidens in County Championship Division One with 134

View the full Men’s Overall Domestic MVP table here.