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Australian young gun Michael Clarke has capped off a wonderful year by winning the Allan Border Medal, edging out fellow batsman Damien Martyn by three votes, at a gala reception at the Crown Casino.
Clarke did not win the Test or one-day award, but still took out the overall honour which is based on votes tallied from the players, umpires and media organisations. It is only the second time in the medal's six-year history in which a player has won the Allan Border Medal without winning either of the Test or one-day player of the year awards, which Steve Waugh did in 2001.
Clarke was tied on fifteen votes with Andrew Symonds and Michael Kasprowicz for the one-day award, but was edged out on a countback which saw Symonds with four 3-votes take out the honour.
Martyn, the hot favourite to win, took out the Test player of the year and finished at an overall tally of 51 votes, three adrift of Clarke's 54. Adam Gilchrist was a distant third with 41 votes.
The whispers yesterday that whichever batsman out of Clarke and Martyn fired in yesterday's one-day match against Pakistan would win the medal proved correct, with Clarke's three votes getting him over the line.
From his introduction at Bangalore to his latest feats opening the batting in the one-day arena for Australia, Clarke has continually impressed under the most trying of circumstances.
"It was a very tough call for the selectors (to pick a side for the Bangalore Test), disappointingly for Australian cricket Ricky Ponting was injured, they could've picked Brad Hodge but fortunately I was (selected). I felt comfortable in the team and I definitely felt ready and fortunately the selectors gave me that chance," Clarke said.
"I thank all my teammates for the support I've received throughout the season. It's a very special team and I know everybody in that side enjoys playing with each other.
"Hopefully I'll continue doing well, I know Australian cricket will continue doing well, and hopefully I'll be back up here next year," Clarke added.
Clarke's win means that all six medals have been won by different players, highlighting the depth of the Australian team. Having not made his debut until October in Bangalore, it was anticipated that Clarke would not have played enough matches to challenge Martyn, but Martyn's poor one-day polling saw Clarke home in a barnstorming finish.
Andy Bichel was named best State player, while South Australian batsman Mark Cosgrove won the best young player award, despite being dropped recently from the South Australian side. As expected, Karen Rolton took out the title of women's player of the year.
Summary of awards
Hall of Fame inductees - Clem Hill and Rod Marsh
Australian One-Day Player of the Year - Andrew Symonds
Australian State Player of the Year - Andy Bichel
Australian Young Player of the Year - Mark Cosgrove
Australian Woman Player of the Year - Karen Rolton
Australian Test Player of the Year - Damien Martyn
Australian Cricketer of the Year - Michael Clarke
|
ODI voting |
Venue |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Sri Lanka |
Dambulla |
Hogg |
Gilchrist |
Symonds |
|
Sri Lanka |
Dambulla |
Hayden |
Clarke |
Ponting |
|
Sri Lanka |
Colombo (RPS) |
Gillespie |
Ponting |
Symonds |
|
Sri Lanka |
Colombo (RPS) |
Kasprowicz |
Ponting |
Symonds |
|
Sri Lanka |
Colombo (SSC) |
Symonds |
Kasprowicz |
Martyn |
|
Zimbabwe |
Harare |
Ponting |
Gillespie |
Martyn |
|
Zimbabwe |
Harare |
Lehmann |
Hayden |
Kasprowicz |
|
Zimbabwe |
Harare |
Gillespie |
Clarke |
Kasprowicz |
|
Pakistan |
VRA Ground |
Symonds |
Lehmann |
Hayden |
|
Pakistan |
Lord's |
Symonds |
Kasprowicz |
Hayden |
|
USA |
Rosebowl |
Kasprowicz |
Gillespie |
Lee |
|
New Zealand |
The Oval |
Symonds |
Kasprowicz |
McGrath |
|
England |
Edgbaston |
Martyn |
Clarke |
Lehmann |
|
New Zealand |
Melbourne |
Gilchrist |
Lehmann |
Lee |
|
New Zealand |
Sydney |
Hogg |
Gilchrist |
Lehmann |
|
West Indies |
Melbourne |
Hogg |
Martyn |
Lee |
|
Pakistan |
Hobart |
Clarke |
Lehmann |
Kasprowicz |
|
West Indies |
Brisbane |
Clarke |
McGrath |
Lehmann |
|
Pakistan |
Sydney |
Lee |
Katich |
Gillespie |
|
Pakistan |
Perth |
Clarke |
McGrath |
Gilchrist |
|
Test voting |
Venue |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Sri Lanka |
Galle |
Hayden |
Lehmann |
Warne |
|
Sri Lanka |
Kandy |
Warne |
Martyn |
Gilchrist |
|
Sri Lanka |
Colombo |
Lehmann |
Langer |
Warne |
|
Sri Lanka |
Darwin |
Kasprowicz |
McGrath |
Lehmann |
|
Sri Lanka |
Cairns |
Hayden |
Langer |
Warne |
|
India |
Bangalore |
Clarke |
Gilchrist |
McGrath |
|
India |
Chennai |
Martyn |
Warne |
Gillespie |
|
India |
Nagpur |
Martyn |
Gillespie |
Clarke |
|
India |
Mumbai |
Gillespie |
Martyn |
Clarke |
|
New Zealand |
Brisbane |
Clarke |
Gilchrist |
McGrath |
|
New Zealand |
Perth |
Langer |
McGrath |
Lehmann |
|
Pakistan |
Adelaide |
Langer |
McGrath |
Kasprowicz |
|
Pakistan |
Melbourne |
Martyn | Gillespie |
Warne |
|
Pakistan |
Sydney |
Ponting |
Gilchrist |
MacGill |
| Allan Border Medal Voting |
Players |
Umpires |
Media |
Total |
| Michael Clarke |
15 |
11 |
28 |
54 |
|
Damien Martyn |
7 |
19 |
25 |
51 |
|
Adam Gilchrist |
8 |
10 |
23 |
41 |
|
Darren Lehmann |
12 |
10 |
17 |
39 |
|
Jason Gillespie |
11 |
11 |
16 |
38 |
