Steve Smith makes Aussie cricket history with Allan Border Medal triumph

Steve Smith has become just the third Australian cricketer to win the prestigious Allan Border Medal four times, joining fellow former captains Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke in achieving the feat. Smith was named men's cricketer of the year at the Australian Cricket awards on Monday night, while Beth Mooney won female player of the year.

Smith scored 171 votes from players, umpires and media across the last 12 months, comfortably beating Travis Head (144) and David Warner (141) to equal Ponting and Clarke for most Allan Border Medal wins. It comes after Smith made the key decision to alter his batting technique before the Australian summer, leading to an unbeaten 200 against West Indies - his highest Test score in three years.

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He then scored 104 at the SCG against South Africa and has averaged 71.92 in Test matches in the past 12 months. Across all formats of the game he average over 55 in the last year.

"I hope there's more to come," he told reporters on Monday night. "That's what I strive for every day, to be the best player that I can be.

"I made some adjustments in the last six months. It took me a while to do, I had to work through a few things. It's started to work well for me. Hopefully I can just keep getting better and better."

When asked about equalling Ponting and Clarke, Smith said: “It’s very humbling, it makes me feel quite old. I certainly don’t play the game for these reasons.

"I play to be the best player I can be and help my team have success, whether I’m playing for Australia or New South Wales or the Sixers."

Smith also won the highest individual prize in Australian men's cricket in 2015, 2018 and 2021. Ponting took the top prize in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009, while Clarke won it in 2005, 2009, 2012 and 2013.

Smith made 1524 runs across all three formats during the voting period – the most by any Aussie player. Only Marnus Labuschagne matched his total of four centuries.

Beth Mooney wins Belinda Clarke Medal

Mooney polled 129 votes to get the Belinda Clark Award for the second time in her career. Meg Lanning finished second with 110 votes, while all-rounder Tahlia McGrath was third with 95.

Mooney was also named Women's ODI Player Of The Year after scoring a career-high 133 in her most recent ODI to help Australia complete a clean sweep against Pakistan.

"You don't play the game of cricket to win these awards or for personal accolades, you play for team success, and we certainly had a whole bunch of that this year, which was amazing to be a part of," Mooney said. "Given at the start of (the year), I didn't think I was going to be playing too much after that (broken jaw) incident."

Usman Khawaja was named the inaugural Shane Warne Men's Test Player Of The Year, while David Warner was named the Men's ODI Player Of The Year. Marcus Stoinis took Men's T20I Player Of The Year.

Australia Cricket Awards winners:

• Belinda Clark Award - Beth Mooney (129 votes)

• Allan Border Medal - Steve Smith (171 votes)

• 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 Seppel

• 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

with AAP

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