It was another productive season for Joe Mennie © Getty Images
South Australia’s seam bowlers Joe Mennie and Daniel Worrall were rewarded for breakout seasons with the Redbacks at the SACA state awards night in Adelaide on Friday.
Mennie took out the night’s major award, the Neil Dansie Medal as the outstanding SA player of the season, and also the venerable Lord Hampen Trophy as the best performed first-class player of the summer.
A season haul of 51 wickets in the Sheffield Shield was a major reason for SA’s advance to their first final since 1996, even if they were unable to overcome Victoria over five days at Glenelg Oval.
Worrall, meanwhile, was warded the Barry Jarman Most Improved Trophy, in recognition of a season in which he grew from a fringe member of the squad to a widely respected seam and swing merchant, as epitomised by a first innings haul of 6 for 96 in the Shield final. At 24, Worrall still has plenty more improvement left in him, and his brand of bowling may soon attract higher attention.
Among other awards, Kane Richardson was named SA’s limited-overs player of the season, Adil Rashid and Sarah Taylor took out the Adelaide Strikers MVP awards, and Taylor also won the Andrea McCauley Trophy as the most outstanding WNCL/WBBL cricketer.
In Sydney, New South Wales handed their major awards to Nic Maddinson and Ellyse Perry in a gala ceremony at the Hilton. Maddinson won the Steve Waugh Medal by the narrowest of margins ahead of Mitchell Starc, who played only one Sheffield Shield match for the summer but was unplayable during the early season Matador Cup limited-overs carnival.
Maddinson was rewarded for an even spread of performances across the year, even if his Shield run-making was not at the level the national selectors had hoped for. Perry was a most deserving winner of the Belinda Clark Medal as the outstanding female cricketer in the state, having played a leading role for both the NSW Breakers and the Sydney Sixers in the WBBL.
Speaking from India, where she is set to take part in the World Twenty20 final with the Southern Stars, Perry said she was extremely grateful for the honour. “This has been a fantastic season for cricket, especially women’s cricket this year with the start of the Women’s Big Bash League,” she said.
“This was a huge moment for women’s cricket and to be part of that was an absolute honour and privilege. A huge thanks goes to Cricket NSW for their support of the women’s game. It is a great time to be playing cricket, and I am fortunate to be playing with such a great group of people.”
In the BBL and WBBL player of the year awards, Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson shared the Thunder award in a season when the once derided side turned the tables and clinched the title. Stafanie Taylor clinched the women’s award ahead of Rene Farrell.
For the Sixers, the opening batsman Michael Lumb squeezed ahead of Brad Haddin to claim the award after a season that disappointed the club’s players, coaches and management. Marizanne Kapp won the women’s award ahead of Perry.
In Brisbane, the Queensland wicketkeeper and loyal servant Chris Hartley won his third consecutive Ian Healy Trophy as the Bulls’ most accomplished player for the season. Young batsman Matt Renshaw won Sheffield Shield player of the year, while Nathan Reardon was recognised for his Matador Cup efforts.
Beth Mooney took out both women’s awards, as the best performed Queensland Fire cricketer and also the MVP for the Brisbane Heat in the WBBL. The night also featured tributes for the retiring James Hopes and Ryan Harris, who ended his career at the outset of last year’s Ashes tour.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo