By Tom Decent
Steve Smith has etched his name into the record books alongside Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke after winning a fourth Allan Border Medal at Australian cricket’s night of nights.
It comes as Beth Mooney claimed her second Belinda Clark Award following a prolific year with the bat.
Steve Smith and Beth Mooney at the Australian Cricket Awards on Monday evening in Randwick, Sydney.Credit:Getty
The country’s best male and female cricketers were deprived of an Australian Cricket Awards ceremony last year due to COVID-19 but were in good spirits at a wet Royal Randwick Racecourse on Monday evening.
Smith (171 votes) comfortably edged out Travis Head (144) and David Warner (141) to win his second Allan Border Medal in three years after plundering 1547 runs in 32 matches across all three formats at the impressive average of 55.3.
“It’s very humbling,” Smith said. “Four times makes me feel old. I certainly don’t play the game for these reasons. I play to just be the best player I can be and help my team have success. It’s been a tremendous 12 months with the Australian team.”
The 33-year-old joins Ricky Ponting (2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009) and Michael Clarke (2005, 2009, 2012 and 2013) as the only other cricketer to win the prestigious award four times.
Border was not present in Sydney for the awards night due to illness.
Full List of award winners
- Belinda Clark Award – Beth Mooney
- Allan Border Medal – Steve Smith
- Women’s ODI Player of the Year – Beth Mooney
- Women’s T20I Player of the Year – Tahlia McGrath
- Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year – Usman Khawaja
- Men’s ODI Player of the Year – David Warner
- Men’s T20I Player of the Year – Marcus Stoinis
- Women’s Domestic Player of the Year – Annabel Sutherland
- Men’s Domestic Player of the Year – Michael Neser
- Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year – Courtney Sippel
- Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year – Lance Morris
- Community Champion Award – Usman Khawaja
- Woolworths Cricket Blaster of the Year – Mabel Tovey
- Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductees – Marg Jennings and Ian Redpath
Smith’s consistency across all three formats and ability to play a high number of matches helped him secure enough votes to take out Australian cricket’s highest honour.
Only David Warner (34), Aaron Finch (34) and Josh Hazlewood (33) played more matches than Smith across all formats during the voting period, from January 19 last year until January 21 this year.
Smith has a huge year ahead, with a four-Test series in India, an away Ashes series, as well as a 50-over World Cup in India.
Although Smith polled the most votes overall, Usman Khawaja, David Warner and Marcus Stoinis took the honours across the three respective formats.
Khawaja, who scored 1020 runs in the voting period at an average of 78.46, won the newly named Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year Award.
The 36-year-old wasn’t even in Australia’s best XI during last summer’s home Ashes but took his opportunity at the SCG with twin tons against England and didn’t look back.
Warner was voted Australia’s best one-day player for the first time since 2018 after compiling 552 runs at 42.5 from 13 matches.
Stoinis bagged his first T20 award with 347 runs at 31.6, to go with eight wickets.
It was a night to remember for Mooney, who celebrated another Belinda Clark Award after her first win in 2021.
Votes were closer in the female category, with Mooney (129 votes) polling ahead of Meg Lanning (110) and Tahlia McGrath (95).
Mooney has been a key figure for the women’s side at the top of the order and made her impact felt once again with 976 runs at 65.1 and a strike rate of 102.6 across all formats.
“I’m a bit speechless, to be honest,” Mooney said. “It was a lot easier when it was done virtually, because I didn’t have to say a lot. To be honoured by a legend of our game in Belinda Clark is incredible.
“[The past year] has had a bit of everything. You don’t play the game to win these awards or for personal accolades but you play for team success and we certainly had a whole bunch of that.”
The 29-year-old, who will depart with the Australian team on Tuesday for the Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, also picked up the Women’s ODI Player of the Year.
Tahlia McGrath, who was tipped to go close for the Belinda Clark Medal, took out the Women’s T20 International Player of the Year.
Meanwhile, Annabel Sutherland and Michael Neser were crowned the best country’s domestic players, while rising fast bowler Lance Morris celebrated winning the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award.
Morris is eyeing a Test debut in India next month and has been included in an extended Australian squad looking to win a Test series there for the first time since 2004.
Matt Short was voted BBL player of the year, while Ash Gardner won the same award for the WBBL.
