Steve Smith wins fourth Allan Border Medal, Beth Mooney wins Belinda Clark Medal

Steve Smith has confirmed his status as one of Australia’s greatest ever cricketers by taking out the Allan Border Medal for the fourth time.

Steve Smith and Beth Mooney are champions. Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images

Steve Smith and Beth Mooney have taken out Australian cricket’s highest honours as the 2023 Allan Border Medallist and Belinda Clark Medallist respectively.

Smith has capped off an incredible 2022 by taking out the prestigious Allan Border Medal for a record-equalling fourth time at Monday night’s Australian Cricket Awards in Sydney.

The 33-year-old joins legends Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke as the only men to win the award four times, with Smith also claiming men’s cricket’s highest honour in 2015, 2018 and 2021.

The former Test skipper polled 171 votes, finishing in front of Travis Head (144) and David Warner (141), who both enjoyed terrific years with the bat.

It’s the latest in a long line of achievements for Smith, who recently moved past Sir Donald Bradman with his 30th Test century and now only trails Ponting and Steve Waugh in terms of Australian centurions.

Smith scored 1547 runs in 32 matches across all three formats, headlined by a stunning 200 not out against the West Indies in the first Test innings of the home summer in Perth.

That knock followed a breathtaking unbeaten 145 in a rare loss to Sri Lanka, with Smith amassing 876 runs from 11 Tests last year including three half-centuries in Pakistan.

Making the achievement even more remarkable is that he only played 11 T20 internationals and featured in just one World Cup match as the Aussies were bundled out in the group stage.

Smith was more productive in the 50-over format, amassing 539 runs at an average of 67.4 including a century against New Zealand in Cairns, proving his white ball detractors wrong with some electrifying knocks in the BBL.

Four-time Allan Border Medallist Steve Smith. Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images

Two-time Belinda Clark Medallist Beth Mooney. Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images

Mooney had an equally stunning season, claiming her second Belinda Clark Medal.

The 29-year-old has been one of the most consistent cricketers for a number of years, also claiming the award in 2021 and dominating the WBBL as the competition’s leading run-scorer of all time.

It was a bumper year for Mooney and the Australian women’s cricket team as they clinched the Ashes in January, won the 50-over World Cup and claimed the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Mooney scored 976 runs with a staggering average of 65.1, including a blistering 62 in the World Cup final when she was overshadowed by Alyssa Healy’s ridiculous 170.

Mooney finished on 129 votes ahead of Meg Lanning (110 votes) and Tahlia McGrath (95) in one of her most dominant years on the field.

Lanning could have been in the mix for the award, which is voted on by players, umpires and the media, but missed the tour of India at the end of the year as she took time away from the game to freshen up for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Mooney was also named the women’s ODI player of the year after she scored 403 runs at an absurd average of 100.75 from her 10 matches.

She has filled in behind the stumps with Alyssa Healy out injured, with the pair set to reunite at the top of the order at next month’s T20 World Cup.

Usman Khawaja was the other big winner of the night, taking out the Community Champion award and the inaugural Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year gong.

It was a big night for the People’s Champion. Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images

2023 Australian Cricket Award winners

— Allan Border Medal: Steve Smith

— Belinda Clark Award: Beth Mooney

— Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Beth Mooney

— Women’s T20I Player of the Year: Tahlia McGrath

— Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year: Usman Khawaja

— Men’s ODI Player of the Year: David Warner

— Men’s T20I Player of the Year: Marcus Stoinis

— Women’s Domestic Player of the Year: Annabel Sutherland (VIC)

— Men’s Domestic Player of the Year: Michael Neser (QLD)

— WBBL Player of the Year: Ash Gardner (Sydney Sixers)

— BBL Player of the Year: Matt Short (Adelaide Strikers)

— Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year: Courtney Sippel (QLD)

— Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year: Lance Morris (WA)

— Community Champion Award: Usman Khawaja

— Woolworths Cricket Blaster of the Year: Mabel Tovey

— Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductees: Marg Jennings and Ian Redpath