The Allan Border Medal is considered to be the biggest individual prize in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n cricket

Cricket

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...

. First awarded in 2000, the medal is named after former Australian captain Allan Border

Allan Border

Allan Robert Border AO is a former Australian cricketer. A batsman, Border was for many years the captain of the Australian team. His playing nickname was "A.B.". He played 156 Test matches in his career, a record until it was passed by fellow Australian Steve Waugh...

 and recognises the most outstanding Australian cricketer of the past season as voted by his peers, the media and umpires. Votes are cast after each game on a 3-2-1 basis, with a weighting applied to give both One Day International and Test

Test cricket

Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...

 players an equal chance of winning the award. In 2011 it was the first time a Twenty20 International

Twenty20 International

A Twenty20 International is a form of cricket which is played over 20 overs per side between two national cricket teams. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket...

 player of the year was named and the first to win the award was David Hussey

David Hussey

David John Hussey is an Australian cricketer. Hussey is a right-handed batsman and can also bowl right-arm offbreaks. He is the younger brother of Australian Test cricketer Michael Hussey.-Australian domestic career:...

.

The award ceremony takes place at the Crown Casino in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 and is held towards the end of January or the start of February each year.

Allan Border Medallists

Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting

Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...

 has won the award a total of four times, sharing it once with dual-winner Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke (cricketer)

Michael John Clarke is an Australian cricketer. He was appointed captain of the Test and ODI teams on 30 March 2011. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler...

. Clarke won in 2005 despite Damien Martyn

Damien Martyn

Damien Richard Martyn is a former Australian cricketer. He played for the national team sporadically in 1992–1994 before becoming a regular ODI player in 1999–2000 and a regular Test player in 2001 until his retirement in late 2006...

 being the red-hot favourite. Shane Watson

Shane Watson

Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....

 is the winner of the most recent medals, in 2010 and 2011. Past medal winners have been:

• 2000: Glenn McGrath
  Glenn McGrath
  Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
  
  
• 2001: Stephen Waugh
• 2002: Matthew Hayden
  Matthew Hayden
  Matthew Lawrence Hayden AM is a former Australian cricketer, and was signed to the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL until the 2010 season. Hayden is a powerful and aggressive left-handed opening batsman, known for his ability to score quickly at both Test and one day levels.Hayden holds the record...
  
  
• 2003: Adam Gilchrist
  Adam Gilchrist
  Adam Craig Gilchrist AM , nicknamed "Gilly" or "Churchy", is an Australian international cricketer who currently captains Kings XI Punjab and recently captained Middlesex. He is an attacking left-handed batsman and record-breaking wicket-keeper, who redefined the role for the Australian national...
  
  
• 2004: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
  
• 2005: Michael Clarke
  Michael Clarke (cricketer)
  Michael John Clarke is an Australian cricketer. He was appointed captain of the Test and ODI teams on 30 March 2011. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler...
  
  
• 2006: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
  
• 2007: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
  
• 2008: Brett Lee
  Brett Lee
  Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
  
  
• 2009: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
   and Michael Clarke
  Michael Clarke (cricketer)
  Michael John Clarke is an Australian cricketer. He was appointed captain of the Test and ODI teams on 30 March 2011. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler...
  
  
• 2010: Shane Watson
  Shane Watson
  Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....
  
  
• 2011: Shane Watson
  Shane Watson
  Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....
  
  

*No countback is used in the Allan Border Medal

Other awards

On Allan Border Medal night there are also other awards announced such as the Bradman

Donald Bradman

Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...

 Young Cricketer of the Year, One Day International Player of the Year, Test Player of the Year, State Player of the Year and Women's International Cricketer of the Year.
In February 2007, Ricky Ponting became the first player to win the three major awards in the same year.
2011 was the introduction of a Twenty20 International

Twenty20 International

A Twenty20 International is a form of cricket which is played over 20 overs per side between two national cricket teams. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket...

 player of the year.

Test Player of the Year

• 2000: Glenn McGrath
  Glenn McGrath
  Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
  
  
• 2001: Colin Miller
  Colin Miller (cricketer)
  Colin Reid Miller is a former Australian cricketer. Known for his ever-changing hair colour; he played with blue hair in a test match against the West Indies in 2001. His hair apparently made West Indies captain Courtney Walsh laugh.Miller began as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, but changed to...
  
  
• 2002: Matthew Hayden
  Matthew Hayden
  Matthew Lawrence Hayden AM is a former Australian cricketer, and was signed to the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL until the 2010 season. Hayden is a powerful and aggressive left-handed opening batsman, known for his ability to score quickly at both Test and one day levels.Hayden holds the record...
  
  
• 2003: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
  
• 2004: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
  
• 2005: Damien Martyn
  Damien Martyn
  Damien Richard Martyn is a former Australian cricketer. He played for the national team sporadically in 1992–1994 before becoming a regular ODI player in 1999–2000 and a regular Test player in 2001 until his retirement in late 2006...
  
  
• 2006: Shane Warne
  Shane Warne
  Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
  
  
• 2007: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
  
• 2008: Brett Lee
  Brett Lee
  Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
  
  
• 2009: Michael Clarke
  Michael Clarke (cricketer)
  Michael John Clarke is an Australian cricketer. He was appointed captain of the Test and ODI teams on 30 March 2011. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler...
  
  
• 2010: Simon Katich
  Simon Katich
  Simon Matthew Katich is an Australian cricketer. He is the captain of the New South Wales Blues, and also captained, up until the end of the 2007 season, Derbyshire County Cricket Club...
  
  
• 2011: Shane Watson
  Shane Watson
  Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....
  
  

One Day International Player of the Year

• 2000: Shane Warne
  Shane Warne
  Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
  
  
• 2001: Glenn McGrath
  Glenn McGrath
  Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
  
  
• 2002: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
  
• 2003: Adam Gilchrist
  Adam Gilchrist
  Adam Craig Gilchrist AM , nicknamed "Gilly" or "Churchy", is an Australian international cricketer who currently captains Kings XI Punjab and recently captained Middlesex. He is an attacking left-handed batsman and record-breaking wicket-keeper, who redefined the role for the Australian national...
  
  
• 2004: Adam Gilchrist
  Adam Gilchrist
  Adam Craig Gilchrist AM , nicknamed "Gilly" or "Churchy", is an Australian international cricketer who currently captains Kings XI Punjab and recently captained Middlesex. He is an attacking left-handed batsman and record-breaking wicket-keeper, who redefined the role for the Australian national...
  
  
• 2005: Andrew Symonds
  Andrew Symonds
  Andrew Symonds is a former Australian cricket team all-rounder. A two-time World Cup winner, Symonds is a right-handed middle order batsman and alternates between medium pace and off-spin bowling....
  
  
• 2006: Michael Hussey
  Michael Hussey
  Michael Edward Killeen Hussey is an Australian cricketer, a left-handed specialist batsman. Hussey is also widely known by his nickname Mr Cricket. Hussey was a relative latecomer to both the one-day international and Test Australian teams, debuting at 28 and 30 years of age in the respective...
  
  *
• 2007: Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Ponting
  Ricky Thomas Ponting , nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very...
  
  
• 2008: Matthew Hayden
  Matthew Hayden
  Matthew Lawrence Hayden AM is a former Australian cricketer, and was signed to the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL until the 2010 season. Hayden is a powerful and aggressive left-handed opening batsman, known for his ability to score quickly at both Test and one day levels.Hayden holds the record...
  
  
• 2009: Nathan Bracken
  Nathan Bracken
  Nathan Wade Bracken is a former Australian cricketer. A tall left-arm fast-medium bowler, Bracken is capable of swinging the ball both ways. He has represented Australia in all forms of the game...
  
  
• 2010: Shane Watson
  Shane Watson
  Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....
  
  
• 2011: Shane Watson
  Shane Watson
  Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....
  
  

*After counting in the 2006 One Day Player of the Year award, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee and Adam Gilchrist all drew on 22 votes. On a count-back, the winner would have been Andrew Symonds but he was ruled ineligible because he was suspended for two One Day Matches for an off-field indiscretion. On a second count-back Michael Hussey was declared the winner.

Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year

• 2000: Brett Lee
  Brett Lee
  Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
  
  
• 2001: Nathan Bracken
  Nathan Bracken
  Nathan Wade Bracken is a former Australian cricketer. A tall left-arm fast-medium bowler, Bracken is capable of swinging the ball both ways. He has represented Australia in all forms of the game...
  
  
• 2002: Shane Watson
  Shane Watson
  Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....
  
  
• 2003: Nathan Hauritz
  Nathan Hauritz
  Nathan Michael Hauritz is an Australian cricketer who has represented Australia in Tests, One-dayers and Twenty20 Internationals. He is mainly noted for his off spin bowling....
  
  
• 2004: Shaun Tait
  Shaun Tait
  Shaun William Tait is a professional Australian cricketer, who currently plays only in the Twenty20 format. Tait plays domestic cricket for South Australia and is also a representative for Australia at Twenty20 International level; he has also represented his country in One Day Internationals and...
  
  
• 2005: Mark Cosgrove
  Mark Cosgrove
  Mark James Cosgrove is a left-handed batsman and part-time medium pace bowler, who is contracted with the Tasmania for the 2010–11 season after previously playing for South Australia. In 2005 Cosgrove was named the Bradman Young Player of the Year...
  
  
• 2006: Dan Cullen
  Dan Cullen
  Daniel James Cullen is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and right-hand off break bowler. He plays his domestic cricket for South Australia and played for Somerset in the 2006 English cricket season....
  
  
• 2007: Ben Hilfenhaus
  Ben Hilfenhaus
  Benjamin William Hilfenhaus is an Australian cricketer who plays for the Tasmanian Tigers in Australian domestic cricket. Hilfenhaus plays club cricket for Tasmania University Cricket Club. Prior to turning fully professional, he worked as a bricklayer as well as playing cricket...
  
  
• 2008: Luke Pomersbach
  Luke Pomersbach
  Luke Anthony Pomersbach is an Australian cricketer who is currently listed with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League...
  
  
• 2009: Phillip Hughes
• 2010: John Hastings
  John Hastings (cricketer)
  John Wayne Hastings is a cricketer for the Victorian Bushrangers.-Statistics:A tall all-rounder who combines right-arm fast-medium bowling with strong lower-order batting. At the end of the 2006–07 season he was recruited from New South Wales, where he had represented the state in under-age and...
  
  
• 2011: Trent Copeland
  Trent Copeland
  Trent Aaron Copeland is an Australian cricket player. He is a right-arm fast bowler who currently plays first-class cricket for the New South Wales Blues...
  
  

State Player of the Year

• 2000: Darren Lehmann
  Darren Lehmann
  Darren Scott Lehmann is a former Australian cricketer, who made his ODI debut in 1996 and Test debut in 1998. He was on the fringes of national selection for the entirety of the 1990s, and only became a regular in the ODI team in 2001 and Test team in late 2002, before being dropped in early 2005...
  
  
• 2001: Darren Lehmann
  Darren Lehmann
  Darren Scott Lehmann is a former Australian cricketer, who made his ODI debut in 1996 and Test debut in 1998. He was on the fringes of national selection for the entirety of the 1990s, and only became a regular in the ODI team in 2001 and Test team in late 2002, before being dropped in early 2005...
  
  
• 2002: Darren Lehmann
  Darren Lehmann
  Darren Scott Lehmann is a former Australian cricketer, who made his ODI debut in 1996 and Test debut in 1998. He was on the fringes of national selection for the entirety of the 1990s, and only became a regular in the ODI team in 2001 and Test team in late 2002, before being dropped in early 2005...
  
  
• 2003: Martin Love
  Martin Love
  Martin Lloyd Love is a former Australian cricketer who played in five Tests from 2002 to 2003. He was a right-handed batsman....
  
  
• 2004: Simon Katich
  Simon Katich
  Simon Matthew Katich is an Australian cricketer. He is the captain of the New South Wales Blues, and also captained, up until the end of the 2007 season, Derbyshire County Cricket Club...
  
  
• 2005: Andy Bichel
  Andy Bichel
  Andrew John Bichel is a retired Australian cricket player and was the bowling coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2009 Indian Premier League....
  
  
• 2006: Phil Jaques
  Phil Jaques
  Philip Anthony Jaques is an Australian cricketer. He is a left-handed opening batsman who has played first-class cricket for New South Wales, Northamptonshire, Yorkshire and Worcestershire, as well as international cricket for Australia...
  
  
• 2007: Chris Rogers
  Chris Rogers (cricketer)
  Christopher John Llewellyn Rogers is an Australian cricketer.Rogers is a left-handed opening batsman and a left-handed leg-break bowler...
  
  
• 2008: Ashley Noffke
  Ashley Noffke
  Ashley Allan Noffke is an Australian cricketer who currently plays for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League . He previously played cricket for Queensland and Western Australia...
  
  
• 2009: Michael Klinger
  Michael Klinger
  Michael Klinger is a first-class cricketer with the South Australia Redbacks. His nickname is "Maxy", after the M*A*S*H character Maxwell Klinger....
  
  
• 2010: Michael Klinger
  Michael Klinger
  Michael Klinger is a first-class cricketer with the South Australia Redbacks. His nickname is "Maxy", after the M*A*S*H character Maxwell Klinger....
  
  
• 2011: Usman Khawaja
  Usman Khawaja
  Usman Khawaja is an Australian cricketer. He was awarded player of the Australian Under 19 Championship in 2005 and also played for Australia in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka as an opening batsman. His club side is Randwick-Petersham....
  
  

Women's International Cricketer of the Year

• 2002: Karen Rolton
  Karen Rolton
  Karen Louise Rolton is a former Australian cricketer. A left-handed batsman and occasional left-arm medium-paced bowler, she has scored the most runs for Australia in women's Test cricket....
  
  
• 2003: Karen Rolton
  Karen Rolton
  Karen Louise Rolton is a former Australian cricketer. A left-handed batsman and occasional left-arm medium-paced bowler, she has scored the most runs for Australia in women's Test cricket....
  
  
• 2004: Cathryn Fitzpatrick
  Cathryn Fitzpatrick
  Cathryn Lorraine Fitzpatrick is a former Australian cricketer. She was recognised as the world's fastest women pace bowler, bowling at up to 125 km/h...
  
  
• 2005: Karen Rolton
  Karen Rolton
  Karen Louise Rolton is a former Australian cricketer. A left-handed batsman and occasional left-arm medium-paced bowler, she has scored the most runs for Australia in women's Test cricket....
  
  
• 2006: Karen Rolton
  Karen Rolton
  Karen Louise Rolton is a former Australian cricketer. A left-handed batsman and occasional left-arm medium-paced bowler, she has scored the most runs for Australia in women's Test cricket....
  
  
• 2007: Lisa Sthalekar
  Lisa Sthalekar
  Lisa Carprini Sthalekar is a female cricketer who plays for Australia, and captains New South Wales. One of the key players in the team, she is a right-handed all rounder who bowls off spin, and was rated as the leading all rounder in the world when rankings were introduced...
  
  
• 2008: Lisa Sthalekar
  Lisa Sthalekar
  Lisa Carprini Sthalekar is a female cricketer who plays for Australia, and captains New South Wales. One of the key players in the team, she is a right-handed all rounder who bowls off spin, and was rated as the leading all rounder in the world when rankings were introduced...
  
  
• 2009: Shelley Nitschke
  Shelley Nitschke
  Shelley Nitschke is a female cricketer who plays for South Australia and Australia. A left-handed batsman and left arm orthodox spinner, she is one of the leading all-rounders in the world....
  
  
• 2010: Shelley Nitschke
  Shelley Nitschke
  Shelley Nitschke is a female cricketer who plays for South Australia and Australia. A left-handed batsman and left arm orthodox spinner, she is one of the leading all-rounders in the world....
  
  
• 2011: Shelley Nitschke
  Shelley Nitschke
  Shelley Nitschke is a female cricketer who plays for South Australia and Australia. A left-handed batsman and left arm orthodox spinner, she is one of the leading all-rounders in the world....
  
  

External links

• Allan Border Medal
• Watson wins Australia's ODI award http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/499805.html
• Khawaja and Copeland win state awards http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/499804.html