Sutherland batsman Steve Smith was overlooked for a second consecutive year at the Allan Border Medal on Monday night, with explosive opener David Warner becoming the fourth player to win back-to-back medals.
Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Sutherland batsman Shane Watson had previously achieved the feat, but 30-year-old Warner joined the list at The Star in Sydney.
Warner scored 269 votes – from his fellow players, umpires and media – to edge out Smith (248) and Mitchell Starc (197).
Warner also won the ODI player of the year award while Starc was crowned Test player of the year. Watson was named Australia’s best in the Twenty20 format.
Meg Lanning took out the Belinda Clark female domestic player of the year honour for the third time.
Smith, who won the award in 2015, was overlooked despite having another outstanding year for Australia.
The 27-year-old scored four Test centuries among his 1162 runs at 68.35 in 11 Tests. Only India’s Virat Kohli averaged more runs in Tests last year, while only England trio Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Alastair Cook scored more runs, though England played five more Tests than Australia.
Votes for Test cricket are also weighted double compared to the shorter forms of the game in Allan Border Medal voting.
After Australia’s final match of their one-day series against Pakistan on Thursday, they face a three-game one-day series in New Zealand before returning home for three T20 internationals against Sri Lanka.
It is a busy time for Smith, who will then lead Australia in their four-Test series against India starting in late February before the ICC Champions Trophy in June.
Award winners:
Allan Border Medal: David Warner
Test Player of the Year: Mitchell Starc
One-Day International Player of the Year: David Warner
Belinda Clark Award: Meg Lanning
Men's domestic Player of the Year: Cameron White
Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year: Hilton Cartwright
Female domestic Player of the Year: Meg Lanning
Previous Allan Border Medal winners:
- Glenn McGrath (2000)
- Steve Waugh (2001)
- Matthew Hayden (2002)
- Adam Gilchrist (2003)
- Ricky Ponting (2004, 2006, 2007, 2009)
- Michael Clarke (2005, 2009, 2012, 2013)
- Brett Lee (2008)
- Shane Watson (2010, 2011)
- Mitchell Johnson (2014)
- Steve Smith (2015)
- David Warner (2016)
*Ponting and Clarke were joint winners in 2009