Adelaide Cricket Club’s Cameron Valente celebrates winning 2019-20 Bradman Medal
Cam Valente may be the first Bradman Medallist to win the award while sipping a cup of tea on his couch. But it did not take the shine off joining the long list of Buffalos to win the prestigious award.
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Cam Valente may be the first Bradman Medallist to win the award while sipping a cup of tea on his couch.
With the usual presentation dinner called off and the count staged online, the Adelaide skipper and Redbacks all-rounder was at home on Wednesday night when the news came through he had been named SACA Premier Cricket’s best men’s player.
But the unusual circumstances did not take the shine off the honour for Valente, who became the seventh Buffalo to win a Bradman.
“I forgot that the count was on actually,” said Valente, who also took out the Fred Godson Medal for one-day player of the season.
“Then a mate text me saying I’d won the one-day award and I was pretty happy with that.
“That’s how I found out I won (the Bradman) as well.
“I was just sitting on my couch, chuffed with myself really. I didn’t have a beer or anything.
“I think I was halfway through putting the kettle on when I found out and had a cup of tea, that’s about it.”
Valente made 561 runs at 112.2 and took 28 wickets at 12.8 in an ultra-consistent season for the Buffalos to top the count with 40 votes.
He upset Adelaide University star Sam Kerber (38 votes) and teammate Ben Pengelley (37), who were tipped as favourites for the medal.
Valente said would only have been topped by winning a flag, the Buffalos denied an opportunity to do so with the season called off in the lead up to the semi-finals.
“That would have been the perfect year – to win a Bradman and more importantly win a flag.
“Little bit disappointing in that sense but I’m very privileged to win a prestigious award like the Bradman.
“I always hate the response that people give when they say ‘nah I didn’t think I was a chance’, but I genuinely, genuinely didn’t think I would be a chance of winning it.”
Valente paid tribute to the Adelaide Cricket and particularly former teammate, now Buffalos assistant coach and fellow Bradman Medallist Sam Raphael.
“In a cricket sense sometimes things don’t work out, Adelaide’s always the club you come back to and they give you a hug and make you feel special again when things don’t feel so special,” he said.
“That’s where I want to thank Sam Raphael as well, he’s sort of the heart of the club, a club champion and he always seems to be in my corner.”
Valente joins Raphael, Luke Williams (three-time), Ben Johnson (two-time), Ben Hook, Andrew Sincock and Steve Gentle as Bradman Medal winners at the Buffalos.