LONDON, Aug 26: Stuart Broad has capped an impressive season by winning Britain's Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year award on Friday. The 20-year-old Leicestershire fast bowler, who was called into England's one-day squad earlier this week, was the runaway winner of the annual prize.

Broad polled more than three times as many votes as his nearest challenger — last year's winner Alastair Cook — and beat off competition from the likes of Lancashire's Tom Smith, Ravi Bopara of Essex, Durham's Liam Plunkett and Worcestershire wicket-keeper Steven Davies.

The son of former England opening batsman Chris, Broad junior has taken 40 first-class wickets this season and took four for 63 in Leicestershire's second division championship draw with Northamptonshire on Friday.

He is only the third Leicestershire player to win the award, which dates back to 1950, after David Gower and James Whitaker.

Candidates must be qualified for England and under 23 on May 1 of the given year and winners usually have a good chance of going on to play international cricket.

Previous holders of the award have now won 1,876 Test caps and claimed 1,005 One-day International caps for England.—AFP