Annabel Sutherland has been awarded the Belinda Clark Award as Australia’s top female player for the second consecutive year.
Sutherland edged out Beth Mooney for the top honor, receiving 77 votes compared to Mooney’s 74 during a time largely influenced by the ODI World Cup. Aside from that tournament, the only other matches were the three-match T20I series against New Zealand last March and three ODIs against India before the World Cup.
Sutherland, who also claimed the ODI award, is the first player to win the Belinda Clark Award consecutively since Meg Lanning in 2014 and 2015. Australia’s current coach Shelly Nitschke secured the title for four consecutive years from 2009 to 2012. Karen Rolton and Lisa Sthalekar are among those who have achieved it consecutively.
“Being among some of those names is quite remarkable,” Sutherland stated. “I find it quite amazing and extremely surreal right now.”
“I was quite amazed, to be truthful.” I didn’t give much consideration to who would come out on top. “An incredibly special sensation and extremely thankful to accept the award from BC [Belinda Clark].”
In the nine ODIs Australia participated in, Sutherland accumulated 216 runs at an average of 43.20, with a top score of 98 not out against England, and took 19 wickets at an average of 18.84. In the three T20Is versus New Zealand, she claimed eight wickets as well.
Mooney was awarded the T20I player of the year for scoring 166 runs at an average of 83.00 during the New Zealand series.
Legspinner Alana King finished third in the overall voting after taking 13 wickets at the ODI World Cup, which included a record 7 for 18 against South Africa.
Nicola Carey and Caoimhe Bray were earlier recognized as the domestic player of the year and Betty Wilson young cricketer of the year.
Typically, the Cricket Australia awards are revealed at a gala event during this season, but the timing of the men’s and women’s teams has made it challenging to identify a date when players are present in the country simultaneously. Travis Head received the Allan Border Medal last year at a hotel in Sri Lanka. The winners of the men’s event for 2026 will be revealed at a future time.
“It appeared distinct [but] certainly unique to have [Belinda Clark] present and perform it in front of the team, primarily,” Sutherland stated. “It would have been wonderful to unite the entire Australian cricket community for a celebration, but it didn’t happen this year.”
On the same day, former Australia captain Alex Blackwell was honored with induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Blackwell’s international journey lasted from 2003 to 2018, during which she participated in 251 matches across various formats, including 12 Tests, 144 ODIs, and 95 T20Is.
In ODIs, she accumulated 3492 runs at an average of 36.00, which includes her three international centuries, and was part of the ODI World Cup winning teams in 2005 and 2013. She led Australia to their inaugural T20 World Cup victory in 2010
✅FAQs(Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1: Who won the Belinda Clark Award this year?
Annabel Sutherland won the Belinda Clark Award for the second consecutive year.
Q2: How many votes did Annabel Sutherland receive?
She received 77 votes, narrowly beating Beth Mooney who got 74.
Q3: What were Annabel Sutherland’s ODI stats?
She scored 216 runs and took 19 wickets in nine ODIs.
Q4: Who won the T20I Player of the Year award?
Beth Mooney won the T20I Player of the Year award.
Q5: Who was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame?
Former captain Alex Blackwell was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
