Smith and Mooney win Australia's 'Player of the Year' awards
Steve Smith and Beth Mooney took the top prizes at this year's Australian Cricket Awards. They were recognized by their respective team-mates, match officials, and the media for a stellar 12 months in the game. Smith won the Allan Border Medal, whereas, Mooney bagged the Belinda Clark Award for being Australia's men's and women's cricketer of the year. Here are the details.
Smith edges past Cummins for the Allan Border Medal
Smith edged out pacer Pat Cummins to win the Allan Border Medal. The senior batsman picked up 126 votes in the voting period (January 9, 2020 to January 19, 2021), 12 more than Cummins, who had 114. It is the third time Smith has won the Allan Border Medal. Only Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke have won it more times (4 each).
Smith scored the most runs in the voting period
Smith scored 1,098 runs at an average of 45.75 across all formats in the voting period, the most runs of any Australian player. It was in ODIs that he scored the bulk of his runs, managing 568 at 63.11. This helped him to be voted Australia's men's ODI player of the year.
2021 Australian Cricket Awards recipients (Men)
Allan Border Medal - Steve Smith Men's Test Player of the Year - Pat Cummins Men's T20I Player of the Year - Ashton Agar Men's Domestic Player of the Year - Shaun Marsh Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year - Will Sutherland Community Impact Award - Josh Lalor
Mooney scrapes past Lanning, bags T20I player award as well
Mooney edged past Meg Lanning to win the Belinda Clark Award. She scored 555 runs at 42.69 across all formats in the voting period. She picked up 60 votes, two more than Lanning, who scored 442 runs at 49.11. Mooney scored 504 runs at 45.81 in T20Is, including six fifties and was duly named Australia's women's T20I player of the year.
2021 Australian Cricket Awards recipients (Women)
Belinda Clark Award - Beth Mooney Women's ODI Player of the Year - Rachael Haynes Women's T20I Player of the Year - Beth Mooney Women's Domestic Player of the Year - Elyse Villani Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year - Hannah Darlington
Unique feat for Mooney
Meanwhile, Mooney is the first player other than Ellyse Perry, Meg Lanning, and Alyssa Healy to win the Belinda Clark Award since 2013.
