Alyssa Healy and Pat Cummins were celebrated as the nation’s top cricketers at Monday night’s Australian Cricket Awards.
The Australian fast bowler claimed the Allan Border Medal after taking 45 Test wickets across the calendar year as well as contributing 251 runs with the bat.
GONE. @patcummins30 strikes with his second ball of the day! #AUSvSL pic.twitter.com/ziLrILXIVA
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 26, 2019
Given his early struggles with injury that produced a five-year layoff from top-level cricket, it was a testament to Cummins’ determination that he is back playing at Test level.
“That’s probably the most pleasing thing in the last couple of years, the amount of cricket I’ve been able to play. I’ve had quite a few tough years with injury. Test cricket was the dream and I wasn’t sure I’d get up there and forge a consistent career so I couldn’t be happier,” Cummins said.
Healy won the Belinda Clark Medal as the all-round performer of the year.
The sound of bat on ball here! 👍 Alyssa Healy whacks the first six of the night: https://t.co/8y4VT4ecvm #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/6ZjjS16AS1
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 5, 2018
She enjoyed a clean sweep of the major awards, winning the woman’s One Day International (ODI) title as well as the T20 International player of the year.
Healy was player of the tournament at the World T20 event in the West Indies in late 2018.
She also boasted an ODI record of 329 runs from six matches at an average of 54.8. Her work behind the stumps was also outstanding.
Australia’s greatest finger spinner, Nathan Lyon was named Test cricketer of the year, the mainstay of a team that went through a traumatic overhaul following the calamity in Cape Town.
His 21 wickets in the summer series defeat against world No.1 India underlined his status as Australia’s premier bowler.
Six wickets for the GOAT Nathan Lyon in the second innings!#AUSvIND | @Domaincomau pic.twitter.com/h9XktG16Dw
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 9, 2018
The One Day International (ODI) men’s cricketer of the year winner was Marcus Stoinis.
In a year where wins were a rare commodity, the all-rounder’s 13 wickets and four half-centuries with an average of 28.9 gave fans a hint of promise in an otherwise ailing team.
The men’s player known as “The Big Show”, Glenn Maxwell was named T20 International player of the year.
BANG, BANG!
Glenn Maxwell is smashing them everywhere! #BBL08 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/m87baLSIz1
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 10, 2019
Georgia Wareham was named the Betty Wilson young cricketer of the year.
Wareham, the teenage leg-spinner from Mortlake in Victoria, had a breakthrough year making her ODI and T20 debut in national colours as well as playing a big role in Melbourne Renegades’ run to the semi-finals in the WBBL.
Will Pucovski was named the Bradman young cricketer of the year.
The 21-year old Victorian had cricket fans abuzz when he produced a stunning 243 against Western Australia in Perth last October, the highest score by a player under the age of 21 since 1965 when Doug Walters smashed 253 as a 19-year-old for New South Wales against South Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Wives and partners make split decision
It was almost spooky how, for women players and WAGS, one look dominated on the black carpet at the Australian Cricket Awards in Melbourne – column dresses (often metallic) with a side split.
Good taste or stylists who all think alike? Maybe a bit from column A, a bit from column B.
Test captain Tim Paine’s wife Bonnie led the way in shimmering Cappellazzo Couture styled by celebrity favourite Lana Wilkinson.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Btu0XLpl8hu/
She said she’d sent the couple’s kids, Milla and Charlie, to different babysitters while she and Tim hit up the big night.
Tim and Bonnie Paine. Photo: Getty
Spinner Nathan Lyon’s partner Emma McCarthy also got the memo, opting for a silver Pallas Couture sheath and bouncy curls.
Peter Siddle’s partner Anna Weatherlake did a sheer, one-shoulder metallic column with small train.
Peter Siddle and Anna Weatherlake. Photo: Getty
Cherie Christian (with Josh Hazlewood) changed things up a bit with a front split on her crochet-style gown. Red lip was a nice change from the sea of Kim Kardashian-esque pinky nude.
Josh Hazlewood and Cherie Christian. Photo: Getty
Aaron Finch’s wife Amy stuck with the body-con silhouette and gave it a medieval twist thanks to an emphatic chain mail fabric.
Aaron and Amy Finch. Photo: Getty
Gemma Broadwood (with D’Arcy Short) was one of the few who went for a black column, adding interest with an asymmetrical strapless neckline.
D’Arcy Short and Gemma Broadwood. Photo: Getty
Ashton Agar’s partner Madeleine Hay’s silver sheath had a short skirt under spangly lace overlay.
Madeleine Hay and Ashton Agar. Photo: Getty
Rachael Haynes and Leah Poulton ditched the metallics but stuck with the night’s favourite silhouette.
Rachael Haynes and Leah Poulton. Photo: Getty
Star all-rounder Ellyse Perry’s column was green, teamed with casually undone hair and silver accessories.
Ellyse Perry at the 2019 Australian Cricket Awards. Photo: Getty
Vini Raman (with Glenn Maxwell) also chose bottle green with plunging neckline and the ubiquitous split.
Glenn Maxwell and Vini Raman.
Then, thankfully, there were the women who went totally off script and abandoned the dress code.
Harriet Palmer, partner of spinner Adam Zampa, wore fabulous deep candy floss pink with off-the-shoulder balloon sleeves and train.
Adam Zampa and partner Harriet Palmer. Photo: Getty
Usman Khawaja’s wife Rachel went for a full Disney princess look.
Usman and Rachel Khawaja. Photo: Getty
And Jessica Davies (with Travis Head) totally pushed the boat out and went back to 2016 in a tiered peach Big Bird dress with a corset top.
Travis Head and Jessica Davies. Photo: Getty
