Sydney Sixers all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner has taken out one of the top honours at the Australian Cricket Awards in Melbourne last night, winning the Belinda Clark Award, while Sixers captain Ellyse Perry was named the Women’s ODI and T20I Player of the Year.
At a ceremony which celebrated a remarkable year of achievement for Australian cricket, Gardner added a second Belinda Clark Award to the honour she first won in 2022.
The all-rounder was again outstanding in all formats throughout a season in which the Australian Women continued their dominance on the international stage winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, retaining the Women’s Ashes and winning ODI and T20I series in India.
A member of both the ICC ODI and T20I Teams of the Year, Gardner also excelled in the Australian Women’s two Test matches. Her remarkable 12 wicket haul against England at Trent Bridge, including match-winning figures of 8-66 in the second innings, was one of the highlights of the cricket year.
Across all formats, Gardner scored 499 runs at 24.94 with a top score of 65 and took 56 wickets at 19.39 with best figures of 8-66. In the Belinda Clark Award, Gardner polled 147 votes ahead of runner-up Ellyse Perry (134) with Annabel Sutherland (106) in third place.
Perry’s enormous contribution to her team’s success was rewarded with both the Women’s ODI Player of the Year and T20I Player of the Year awards.
In ODIs Perry scored 466 runs at 66.57 with a top score of 91. In T20Is she scored 390 runs at 43.33 with a top score of 70 and took six wickets at 9.5 with best figures of 2-3.
Gardner’s significant off-field contribution was also acknowledged with the Community Impact Award. Gardner established the Ashleigh Gardner Foundation (AGF) in 2021 intending to create a healthy start to the school day for Indigenous children believing providing breakfast and unstructured play enhances educational outcomes.
In the Allan Border Medal, four-time winner and Sixers superstar, Steve Smith (141 votes) placed third, behind winner Mitch Marsh (223 votes) and Australian captain Pat Cummins (144 votes) in second place.
Full list of award winners
Belinda Clark Award – Ashleigh Gardner (147 votes)
2nd: Ellyse Perry (134 votes)
3rd: Annabel Sutherland (106)
Allan Border Medal – Mitchell Marsh (223 votes)
Pat Cummins (144 votes)
Steven Smith (141 votes)
Women’s ODI Player of the Year – Ellyse Perry
Women’s T20I Player of the Year – Ellyse Perry
Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year – Nathan Lyon
Men’s ODI Player of the Year – Mitchell Marsh
Men’s T20I Player of the Year – Jason Behrendorff
Weber WBBL | 09 Player of the Tournament – Chamari Athapaththu
KFC BBL | 13 Player of the Tournament – Matthew Short
Women’s Domestic Player of the Year – Sophie Day, Elyse Villani (tied).
Men’s Domestic Player of the Year – Cameron Bancroft
Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year – Emma De Broughe
Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year – Fergus O’Neill
Community Impact Award – Ashleigh Gardner
Woolworths Cricket Blaster of the Year – Taj Bower
Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductees – Michael Hussey and Lyn Larsen