Last year Steve Smith made a clean sweep of the major Australian cricket awards by capturing the Test and ODI Player of the Year, as well as the coveted Allan Border Medal – all for the first time.
In the 16-year history of the annual awards, only Ricky Ponting, in 2007, has been successful in winning all three awards in the same year.
Tonight Australian captain Smith has a mortgage on the Test award, but he has serious opposition from giant left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc for the other two.
More cricket:
» The Khawaja snub: Now it’s personal
» Meet Chadd Sayers, Australia’s unlikely new Test paceman
» Street cricket at sundown on Australia Day
» Scorecard: Australia vs India T20
Contenders for Test Player of the Year
Steve Smith (13 Tests) – 1474 runs at 73.70 with a top score of 215 that included six centuries and five half-centuries, cracking 167 boundaries, and seven sixes.
David Warner (13) – 1317 runs at 54.87 – 253 – four centuries and seven half-centuries – 163/11.
Adam Voges (12) – 1028 runs at 85.66 – 269* – four centuries and three half-centuries – 133/2.
Joe Burns (6) – 631 at 63.10 – 173 – one century and five half-centuries – 94/1.
Usman Khawaja (3) – 504 at 126 – three centuries and one half-century – 38/5.
Josh Hazlewood (12) – 51 wickets at 23.35 – ER 2.95, SR 47.4
Nathan Lyon (13) – 48 at 28.72 – 3.07, 55.9.
Mitchell Starc (11) – 46 at 25.06 – 3.35, 44.7.
Mitchell Johnson (9) – 30 at 33.75 – 3.82, 53.
Contenders for ODI Player of the Year
Steve Smith (19) – 805 runs at 53.66 – 105 – two centuries and five half-centuries – SR 86.85 – 71/7.
David Warner (15) – 652 runs at 54.33 – 178 – two centuries and two half-centuries – 110.50 – 74/12.
Mitchell Starc (18) – 41 wickets at 16.26 – ER 4.61, SR 21.1.
Contenders for the Allan Border Medal
Steve Smith is the world number one ranked Test batsman, Mitchell Starc the world’s most successful ODI bowler in 2015 – and the reasons for their international recognition are set out above.
Tonight will have two added attractions, with expressman Jeff Thomson, and the late, great keeper Wally Grout to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Other awards are the Twenty20 Player of the Year, the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year, the State Player of the Year and the women’s international Cricketer of the Year.
It promises to be a cracker of a night. Don’t miss it televised live on Gem, starting at 8:40pm (AEDT).
spruce moose
Guest
Ha! Glenn maxwell won odi player of the year. Ave 46, SR 135 and 19 wickets @ 30. By any measure, these are seriously good stats for an allrounder. World leading in fact. Time for a retraction David.
Chris Vincent
Roar Pro
I did find it curious - though not surprising - that you didn't even mention Maxwell as a chance in ODIs. 644 runs @ 46 (SR 135; one century and four half centuries); 19 wickets at something around 25.
ColonelCrab_
Guest
Thoughts David on Maxwell ODI Player of the Year? :)
ajaY
Guest
Smith-test ,starc-odi,Maxwell-t20,domestic-dean or paris ,Ab medal- smith. Worst player- funch,bolland,wade top contenders.
bryan
Guest
With the 3-2-1 system, I think Voges might get up in the tests. I can see at least 2 tests with a 3, maybe 4. I can only see 1 test where S Smith will get a 3 straight up. 774 2164 West Indies Away Australia Roseau 3 June 2015 775 2166 West Indies Away Australia Kingston 11 June 2015 776 2170 England Away England Sophia Gardens 16 July 2015 777 2171 England Away Australia Lord's 21 May 2015 778 2173 England Away England Edgbaston 29 July 2015 779 2175 England Away England Trent Bridge 6 August 2015 780 2178 England Away Australia The Oval 20 August 2015 781 2185 New Zealand Home Australia Brisbane 5 November 2015 782 2187 New Zealand Home Draw Perth 13 November 2015 783 2190 New Zealand Home Australia Adelaide 27 November 2015 784 2193 West Indies Home Australia Hobart 10 December 2015 785 2195 West Indies Home Australia Melbourne 26 December 2015 786 2198 West Indies Home Draw Sydney 3 January 2016
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
lol/ maybe for the worst ODI selection award.
Pepper Jack
Guest
Scott Boland
JoM
Roar Rookie
The CA website states the awards are from 16 January, 2015 to 7 January, 2016 so the Sydney test will be included in this year's awards.
Kohli Lara
Guest
After last night's interview while playing. . He shouldn't get it :)
DingoGray
Roar Guru
It really can only be Smith or Warner surely?
Brett McKay
Expert
Mine was a very tongue in cheek comment immediately above, David. My reply further up is how I think it will all play out..
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Ah thanks Lordy, pesky calendar.
David Lord
Expert
Kevin and Brett, while Steve Smith played 13 Tests, and David Warner with Adam Voges played 12 each, Usman will not have enough votes from his peers, umpires, and the media in just three Tests to be a genuine contender.
David Lord
Expert
Pope, correct Joe Burns scored two tons in 2015, but Usman Khawaja played only three Tests in 2015, the Sydney Test was in 2016.
Brett McKay
Expert
That's certainly true, David, but there really aren't too many smokeys for any of the awards this season. Starc should take the ODI award, given he was player of the World Cup, and there's 9 or 10 of Australia's 19 ODIs for 2015 right there. Smith would be his closest rival, I'd imagine. Smith should similarly take out the Test award, though Voges and maybe even Khawaja might be smokeys for the impact of their runs - Voges, particularly. And then for the AB, if Smith is the Test PotY and runs second to Starc in the ODI PotY, then he'll almost certainly win another AB Medal. Tests carry a higher weighting in the calculations, and that should be enough to see him home..
Brett McKay
Expert
It'll be a yet another chapter in the obvious snubbing saga if he misses out.....
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Joey Burns got 2 hundreds. Khawaja played 4 tests with a dnb in the rainy Sydney Test.
Kevin dustby
Guest
Surely Ussie will get it, people keep telling me he is the best player in the world
Long Retired Flanker, Still in Pain
Guest
Glenn Maxwell, surely, David???
Chris Love
Guest
May not be that simple David but I think Targa has hit the nail on the head on how it should go.