Australia's top individual prize could be decided by the best performer in the upcoming historic day-night Test
Belinda Clark Award could come down to day-night Test
The race for this year’s Belinda Clark Award, the top individual prize for the nation's female cricketers, could come down to who shines in this week’s historic day-night Test at the MCG.
The Australian Cricket Awards will be held next Monday night at Melbourne's Crown Casino, broadcast live on Seven, Foxtel and Kayo, where the top individual prizes in the game for Australia's cricketers will be handed out.
After a packed 12 months for Australia’s women that included a home multi-format series against South Africa, the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates as well as the home summer, there are several leading candidates including a potential first-time winner, with Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland and Beth Mooney all standouts across three formats.
The voting period – 10 January 2024 to 2 February 2025 – also takes in a tour of Bangladesh, T20I and ODI series against New Zealand, ODIs against India and the ongoing multi-format Ashes, including this week’s Test.
Votes are weighted to decide the Belinda Clark Award winner, with votes polled in Test matches worth twice those from ODI fixtures, and three times the T20I votes.
Come Monday night, Australia will have played two Tests across the voting period, with the first of those dominated by Sutherland’s double hundred against South Africa at the WACA Ground, while Darcie Brown collected her first career five-wicket haul.
Sutherland and reigning BC Award winner Gardner are likely frontrunners for the Women’s One-Day Player of the Year award after dominant years in the format.
Gardner finished the voting period as Australia’s leading run scorer in the 50-over format, with 385 at 38.50 including her first international hundred and two fifties.
Sutherland was second on the list, having struck 377 runs at 41.88 including back-to-back centuries against New Zealand and India in December.
Both allrounders also made an impact with the ball; Gardner was Australia’s second highest wicket taker in ODIs with 23 at 15.52, while Sutherland collected 13 of her own.
Mooney was another consistent contributor in ODIs, having hit 361 runs including four fifties, while leg-spinner Alana King was Australia’s most prolific one-day wicket taker across the voting period, picking up 28 scalps at 11.25, including a five-for against England and two four-wicket hauls.
Mooney is a strong frontrunner to pick up her third T20 player of the year award after the opener dubbed ‘Ms Consistent’ lived up to her nickname.
The left-hander hit 618 runs at a strike rate of 130 including five half-centuries, 274 more than Australia’s next most productive batter Alyssa Healy.
With the ball, Georgia Wareham led the way taking 20 wickets with an economy rate of 6.01, while Sutherland and Megan Schutt picked up 18 apiece, closely followed by Gardner with 17.
The Weber WBBL|10 Player of the Tournament will be revealed on Monday night, while the domestic and young cricketers of the year are also set to be announced.
Ellyse Perry had an outstanding season with the bat for Sydney Sixers, leading the runs table with 424 at a strike rate of 137.21, while Alana King was the tournament’s leading wicket taker, picking up 20 at 13.30.
Hayley Matthews enjoyed a brilliant all-round campaign as Melbourne Renegades claimed their first title, scoring 255 runs at a strike rate of 136.36 and claiming 12 wickets with an economy rate of 6.88.
The voting period for the Women’s Domestic Player of the Year and Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year was 5 December 2023 to 11 December 2024.
Tasmania’s Nicola Carey, New South Wales’ Tahlia Wilson and South Australia’s Courtney Webb are among those who could be rewarded for prolific form with the bat, while Carey also enjoyed an excellent run with the ball, alongside South Australia leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington.
Commbank Women's Ashes 2025
Australia lead the multi-format series 12-0
First ODI: Australia won by four wickets
Second ODI: Australia won by 21 runs
Third ODI: Australia won by 86 runs
First T20I: Australia won by 57 runs
Second T20I: Australia won by six runs (DLS Method)
Third T20I: Australia won by 72 runs
Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
* ODIs only; + T20Is only
Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT
Australia Test squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia until Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub