A regional daily has beaten national counterparts to claim an awards double for its coverage of cricket.

The Liverpool Echo took the Outstanding Newspaper Coverage of Domestic Cricket prize and Regional Newspaper of the Year at the annual Domestic Cricket Journalism awards, organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The former award was last won by regional press titles in 2020, when Reach plc sister weeklies Gloucestershire Echo and The Citizen, Gloucester – who were highly commended in the category this year – triumphed.

The Somerset County Gazette was highly commended in the Regional Newspaper of the Year category.

Former England bowler turned writer Mike Selvey, journalist and author Mark Baldwin and former Times writer Richard Hobson were on the judging panel for the Outstanding Newspaper Coverage of Domestic Cricket category.

They said: “Submissions from the Echo included fine examples of analytical, investigative local and regional news-gathering, plus wide-ranging reportage of both local club cricket and Lancashire county stories.”

Guardian writer Ali Martin and Wisden Almanack editor Laurence Booth, who judged the Regional Newspaper of the Year category, praised the “engaging writing and the range of topics covered” by the Echo.

They added: “An in-depth analysis of Newton-le-Willows and Birkenhead Park being relegated from the ECB Premier Division – both following points deductions for administrative errors – was an example of local sports journalism at its best.

“Similarly, features on Lancashire’s Tom Hartley, writer Paul Edwards, and the production line of county players from the region.

“The Echo’s cricket pages were vibrant in print, each one packed with stories and scorecards.”

Echo cricket writer Tom Evans, pictured, who has been in the role since 2018, said: “This is staggering news. To read such kind words from the judges means a lot.

“The new cricket season is just around the corner, and to know my work is appreciated so widely will put an extra spring in my step.

“Thank you to everyone who’s helped with my coverage and to everyone who’s read even a word of it.”

The awards are held in association with the Cricket Writers’ Club.

Club chair George Dobell said: “It’s striking how all of those individuals mentioned here – not just the winners, but those who have been commended – have such bright futures in cricket journalism. And special congratulations to the Liverpool Echo for a memorable double.

“We thank the ECB for continuing to shine a light on high-quality journalism and the panel of judges for the work they have put into these decisions.”