England cricketer Ben Stokes wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

Ben Stokes was named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and England’s cricket World Cup winners the team of the year, as the annual awards ceremony in Aberdeen celebrated a strong year of sporting achievement.

The England batsman became the first cricketer to win the prize since Andrew Flintoff in 2005 after a summer of batting heroics during both the World Cup and the Ashes.

The 28-year-old finished ahead of the six-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, who came runner-up for a second consecutive year and fourth in total, and the world champion sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, who was third. The other shortlisted athletes were the footballer Raheem Sterling, the Wales rugby captain, Alun Wyn Jones, and the world champion heptathlete, Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

“It’s an individual award but it’s a team sport,” said Stokes on receiving the award. “The best thing is you get to share big moments with teammates and back-room staff. They make moments like this summer possible. Two years ago was a tough time for me in my life and I had so many people help me through that. I wouldn’t be up here without you, so thanks.”