Beth Mooney becomes the proud recipient of Belinda Clark Award.
Bethany Louise Mooney became the ninth cricketer to win the Belinda Clark award since its inception in 2002. She received 60 votes and edged past Meg Lanning (58 votes) and Georgia Wareham (50 votes).
Because of the times that we live in, this year the awards were announced during a televised show ahead of the Big Bash League final as opposed to the usual annual black-tie gala event.
Less than a year ago, the Queensland opening batter smashed Indian bowlers out of the park during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup which Australia won by 85 runs. Mooney joined hands with Alyssa Healy for a record opening partnership of 151 runs which helped Australia boss the game from the very beginning. Mooney top-scored for Australia with an unbeaten 78, finished the tournament as the highest run-scorer with 259 runs, and was named the Player of the Tournament.
In an interview to cricket.com.au, Mooney said, “An award as prestigious and highly regarded as this, it doesn’t matter how you do it, it’s still pretty surreal thing to have achieved and something I haven’t taken lightly. I feel like I’m just an ordinary human who’s picked up a bat and wanted to hit a few runs here and there and to be able to sit at the end of the season and win this award that’s been voted by my peers and some of the best players in the world is something I won’t take for granted and something I’m very grateful for.”
In the period under review, Mooney scored 504 runs at 45.81 at a strike rate of 122.92 which led to her winning yet another award- the T20I Player of the Year. She got 30 votes with the next best being Alyssa Healy’s 18.
Many Congratulations to Beth Mooney on being voted as the ‘Female International Twenty20 Player of the Year’
Well deserved, Beth 👏🔥 pic.twitter.com/f3WTe9Ff4u
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) February 6, 2021
When it comes to the ODI Player of the Year, there wasn’t much to choose from as only three one day games had been played. Rachel Haynes, the leading run-scorer in these matches with 222 runs at a healthy average of 74, bagged this award.
Elyse Villani, dropped from the national side, showed what she is capable of while playing in the domestic circuit. Villani scored 360 runs at a strike rate of 120.8 during the Women’s Big Bash League and in the domestic one-day campaign she scored 259 runs at an average of 51.8 while opening the batting for Victoria. Performances like these helped her win the Women’s Domestic Player of the Year.
“Peer-voted awards, they’re pretty special and something I don’t take lightly. I was a bit lost for words to be honest, which is very unlike me.” Villani told cricket.com.au.
Upcoming T20 sensation Hannah Darlington was voted the Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year. Part of Sydney Thunder’s championship-winning side, Hannah took 19 wickets at a mind-boggling average of 13.68 and an economy of 6.19.
Hannah now has her eyes set on converting her T20 success to the 50-overs game. “I was really surprised and quite excited, looking at some of the young players going around the country at the moment and at the nominees, I didn’t think I was a shot. It’s nice to know my peers, not only my teammates but opponents, are recognizing some performances.”
Hannah Darlington has been voted as Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year.
Congratulations Hannah 👏👊 pic.twitter.com/4VRPSwilge
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) February 6, 2021
“I’ve been itching to play 50 over cricket, I feel like I’ve just been in T20 mode, so I’m stoked. It’s weird not having to bowl a different ball every ball and just learning some patience is the biggest thing.”
List of Winners of the Australian Cricket awards-
Belinda Clark Award – Beth Mooney
ODI Player of the Year- Rachael Haynes
T20I Player of the year- Beth Mooney
Domestic Player of the Year- Elyse Villani
Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year- Hannah Darlington
Source: Dave Middleton for cricket.com.au
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