Marcus Stoinis and Alyssa Healy take the ODI honours in Cricket Australia awards

Cricket is Australia has been in the doldrums ever since the ball-tampering scandal at the Newlands in South Africa and they have won only a handful of games, much to their disappointment. However,  amidst all the travails, some players have also done exceptionally in the previous year and have shouldered their national teams. And, they have been rewarded in the Cricket Australia awards.

Marcus Stoinis has been named the Men’s ODI Player of the Year. Last year, the experienced campaigner played 13 ODIs and churned out 376 runs at an average of 28.92 with four half-centuries to his credit. Moreover, the 29-year-old from Perth also picked up 13 wickets with a couple of three wickets haul against the Proteas in Perth and Adelaide respectively.

He has also been in exceptional form, representing Melbourne Stars in this edition’s Big Bash League (BBL). In the women’s category, wicketkeeper-batswoman Alyssa Healy took the honours. Healy, also the wife of speedster Mitchell Starc, amassed 329 runs in six encounters in the last year at an incredible average of 54.83. The 28-year-old’s top score of 133 came against India Women in Vadodara.

Healy also became the female T20I Player of the Year, having scored 578 runs from 17 games at 41.29. Moreover, she bagged the Belinda Clark Award. Glenn Maxwell became the Male T20I Player of the Year as he notched 506 runs in 19 matches at 36.14 and also got nine wickets. Fast bowler Pat Cummins was awarded with the Allan Border Medal. Matthew Wade and Heather Graham got the male and female domestic Player of the Year award respectively.

Nathan Lyon creates a record

The 21-year-old Will Pucovski, who was a part of Australia’s Test squad against Sri Lanka, was honoured with the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year as per reports in cricket.com.au. He didn’t get to play a match, though in that two-match series. Leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, who made her debut last year against New Zealand Women, was crowned with the Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year.

Nathan Lyon became the first specialist finger spinner to become Australia’s men’s Test Player of the Year. In 10 Tests last year, the off-break bowler nipped out 49 wickets with two five-wicket hauls. He garnered 25 votes from his teammates and umpire/media representatives. He also finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the recently concluded Test series against India with 21 wickets.

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