Photo Credit: South Australian Cricket Association
Travis Head and Bridget Patterson have been declared the most outstanding cricketers in the State across their respective formats in the 2020-21 season.
Announced at the Dansie McCauley Medal on Thursday night, West End Redbacks captain Head claimed his maiden Dansie Medal in a dominant season.
Beginning with two centuries in the opening four rounds of South Australia’s Sheffield Shield Hub was just a foreshadowing of what was to come for the 27-year-old skipper.
Head amassed 893 runs at an average of 68.69 across 14 innings, which ranked him second in the competition, and the most he has scored in a single campaign since his debut as an 18-year-old in 2011-12.
The Test batsman also made his maiden first-class double-century against Western Australia at the WACA, finishing on 223 in a game driven by South Australia and its leader.
Head was also voted by his team-mates as the best player in the Marsh One-Day Cup competition, with 276 runs and a high score of 142.
He led on 159 votes, with opening pair Henry Hunt and Jake Weatherald both next on 53 apiece.
Dashing right-hand batter Patterson was also awarded her first McCauley Medal for a WNCL campaign that yielded 371 runs at 61.83.
The 27-year-old scored two centuries and one half-century to help her finish as the league’s fifth-highest runscorer, with two Player of the Match performances to her name.
Most notable was Patterson’s 108 not out, and her top score for the season, which led the Scorpions to their first win of the campaign against ACT Meteors in Canberra.
Patterson’s 78 votes topped Tahlia McGrath (67) and Courtney Webb, who finished on 48 votes in her first season in SA.
The Adelaide Strikers’ MVP awards were scooped by Sarah Coyte and Wes Agar respectively.
A veteran of 74 rebel WBBL fixtures, it is Coyte’s maiden Strikers MVP title in a season that featured a club-high 18 wickets.
Named in the Team of the Tournament alongside rebel Young Gun Darcie Brown, Coyte again provided plenty with her tricks and change-ups, which led to an astonishing 127 dot balls bowled in a shining WBBL|06 campaign.
Agar also claimed his first MVP award after finishing as the Strikers’ leading wicket-taker on 22, and a place in the KFC BBL|10 Team of the Tournament.
The big quick’s best performance came against Brisbane Heat at Adelaide Oval, with an unplayable 4/27 matched only by a blistering century from Alex Carey to claim a vital win.
Speedster Darcie Brown, 18, scooped the other major Scorpions award, the Most Improved, for a breakout season that culminated in both her Australia T20I and ODI debuts.
Allrounder Liam Scott was named the Barry Jarman Most Improved player, and opening batsman Henry Hunt took out the Barry ‘Nugget’ Rees award for his passion, humility, honesty and integrity shown to South Australian cricket.
Full list of award winners
State Indigenous Female Player of the Year: Jacinta Goodger-Chandler
Best performed player in the Indigenous National Championships.
State Indigenous Male Player of the Year: Tyrell Sinclair
Best performed player in the Indigenous National Championships.
Peter Wang Award: Zac Worden
The Peter Wang Award recognises a youth squad cricketer who displays excellent cricket ability, high work ethic, admirable team loyalty, distinguished character and respect for the spirit of the game
Marsh One-Day Cup Trophy batting award: Travis Head, 276 runs
Marsh One-Day Cup Trophy bowling award: Wes Agar, 7 wickets
Marsh One-Day Cup MVP: Travis Head
WNCL Batting award: Bridget Patterson: 371 runs
WNCL Bowling award: Samantha Betts: 11 wickets
WNCL Most Improved: Darcie Brown
WBBL Batting award: Laura Wolvaardt, 347 runs
WBBL Bowling award: Sarah Coyte, 18 wickets
WBBL Adelaide Strikers MVP: Sarah Coyte
Andrea McCauley Medal: Bridget Patterson
Awarded to the most outstanding South Australian cricketer in the Women’s National Cricket League as voted by the players. The McCauley Medal is named after former South Australia captain Andrea McCauley. In 2015-16, Andrea guided the Scorpions to their maiden Women’s National Cricket League title, and she has fought with passion for the women’s game over her time as a player and later, a coach, which has resulted in significant growth in support, facilities and resources.
BBL Batting: Jake Weatherald, 433 runs
BBL Bowling: Wes Agar, 22 wickets
BBL Adelaide Strikers MVP: Wes Agar
Awarded to the most outstanding cricketer for the Adelaide Strikers during BBL|10 as voted by the players.
Barry ‘Nugget’ Rees Award: Henry Hunt
Awarded to the player who annually displays passion for South Australia and South Australian cricket, humility, honesty and integrity, team work and respect for the game of cricket.
James Irwin Trophy (first-class batting): Travis Head, 893 runs (high score of 223)
First Class Bowling Trophy: Chadd Sayers, 13 wickets
Barry Jarman Most Improved Trophy: Liam Scott
Awarded to the South Australian cricketer under 25 years of age, who has displayed significant improvement in their cricket ability, a high work ethic, team loyalty, distinguished character and respect for the game during the past 12 months.
Lord Hampden Trophy: Travis Head
Awarded to the player who accumulates the most votes for all matches during the Marsh Sheffield Shield season.
Neil Dansie Medal: Travis Head
Awarded to the most outstanding South Australian male cricketer across all forms of the game taking into account performance, competitiveness, team spirit and work ethic. It is named after the patriarch of South Australian cricket – Neil Dansie OAM. Affectionately known as ‘Nodder’, Neil has made an immeasurable contribution to sport in South Australia and has been involved in cricket in this State for more than 65 years.
Name of Author: South Australian Cricket Association
The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) is the governing body for cricket in South Australia. Based in Adelaide, it oversees the South Australian men’s and women’s teams and manages the South Australian Grade Cricket League.
