Irish cricketer Orla Prendergast had a big night at the 2025 Cricket Awards with the star all-rounder picking up the big Super Series, Domestic games, Player of the Year and also the Player of the Year award.
Prendergast represented the Dragons and was leading run-scorer for her side and the 2nd highest run-scorer in the 2024 Super20 Trophy, with 154 runs at a strike rate of 119.38 and an impressive average of 38.50. Besides her exploits with the bat, she also picked up four wickets at an average of 18 and an economy of 4.80. With her all-round contributions, she played a pivotal role as the Dragons clinched the championship title in the T20 format.
In the 2024 Super 50 Cup, representing the Dragons, she finished the competition as the leading run-scorer, with 394 runs at a strike rate of 104.79 and a mind-boggling average of 98.50. She had the high score of unbeaten 159* in the season. With the ball, she picked up seven wickets at an average of 11.71 and an economy of 3.32. She was the joint 2nd highest wicket-taker with the ball for the Dragons alongside Arlene Kelly.
Representing Ireland, Prendergast had a stellar 2024, amassing a career best, 360 runs from the 12 games played in the year with a highest score of 122* against Sri Lanka in Belfast which was part of Ireland’s historic 2-1 ODI series win against Sri Lanka. She finished that series with 134 runs from the 3 games with an average of 67 and also struck 4 wickets with best figures of 3/25 in the first ODI.
Prendergast picked up nine wickets across the year, with an average of 23 and the Irish star almost helped her team upset England as well, during their home series in September 2024, with Prendergast’s all-round performance almost pulling off a shock win in the first ODI, where she scored a fighting 76 and picked up 2/27 as well, although England sneaked away with a four-wicket win.
From powering Ireland to their first-ever T20I win over England and a historic series victory in Bangladesh, Prendergast proved to be a force in T20I cricket. In just 18 matches, she amassed 544 runs at an impressive average of 36.26 and a strike rate of 123.63. Equally impactful with the ball, she claimed 21 wickets in only 12 innings, boasting an average of 12.90 and an economy rate of 6.80.
Other nominees for the Player of the Year were Gabby Lewis, Aimee Maguire, and Alice Tector. While the Super Series Awardee was decided through a vote by the live-stream commentary team post each game of the season, the Player of the Year was decided through a vote by her peers, the other players.
Upon winning the award, Prendergast highlighted the bond the team shares and how close the team is, stating “We’re such a tight-knit bunch; the fact that I get on so well with the girls and they’ve voted me for this award makes it all the more special.”
Prendergast’s impressive domestic and international performances paved the way for her stint with the Adelaide Strikers in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). She made her presence felt, scoring 110 runs at an impressive strike rate of 123.59 while also claiming 6 wickets in 7 matches, showcasing her all-round brilliance on the global stage.
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