Sydney, Feb 15 (NationPress) Annabel Sutherland has solidified her legacy in Australian cricket by becoming the fifth woman in history to achieve back-to-back Belinda Clark Awards after another outstanding year representing her country. The 24-year-old all-rounder was recognized as Australia’s top female cricketer during a ceremony at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, garnering 77 votes to narrowly surpass two-time winner Beth Mooney by three votes.

Due to scheduling conflicts between the men's and women's events, Sutherland received her award from Belinda Clark in the SCG Members’ Long Bar, just before Australia’s evening training session.

Her influence went beyond the main award, as she was also honored as the ODI Player of the Year, highlighting her significant contributions during a challenging series of international fixtures.

Mooney earned the title of T20I Player of the Year after a tie in votes with her opening partner Georgia Voll, winning based on countback. Australia participated in only three T20Is during the voting period, all in New Zealand, where Mooney scored 166 runs at an average of 83 and a strike rate of 167, securing player-of-the-series accolades. This marked her fourth T20I award since its inception in 2019, showcasing her consistent excellence in the format.

Throughout the 12-month voting timeline, Australia played 13 white-ball matches, all away, including 10 ODIs in India and the subsequent World Cup.

Sutherland emerged as a key player during the ODI World Cup, leading Australia in wickets and ranking second overall in the tournament with 17 wickets at an average of 15.82. Her unbeaten 98 against England further demonstrated her value as a true all-rounder.

In total, Sutherland claimed 27 wickets at an average of 15.63 across all formats and scored 250 runs at an average of 41.66.

This remarkable achievement places her among an elite group of multiple-time recipients, including Karen Rolton, Lisa Sthalekar, Shelley Nitschke, and Meg Lanning.

“It's quite special to be mentioned alongside such esteemed names ... it feels surreal at the moment. I’m incredibly thankful to receive the award from 'BC' (Clark), and I appreciate knowing I've played a role in the team's success over the past year,” Sutherland was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

However, the honor comes with mixed emotions following Australia's semi-final exit at the World Cup, a tournament that heavily influenced Sutherland's recent preparations.

“It's difficult to overlook the World Cup's conclusion, particularly regarding our team's final standing. I placed a great deal of emphasis on that World Cup ... and for the last few years, it has been my focus in preparation, considering how I could contribute to Australia’s victories,” she added.

“I felt I managed to do that with my bowling throughout the tournament and in parts with my batting too. But reflecting on it is tough given how the World Cup ended,” she stated.

Mooney exhibited a stellar performance during the World Cup, rescuing Australia with a century against Pakistan and finishing as the top scorer. Leg-spinner Alana King also had a standout tournament, achieving a national record of 7-18 against South Africa, securing her third place in the Belinda Clark Award voting.

The selection of international awards relies on a voting process involving players, umpires, and media representatives, who allocate points on a 3-2-1 basis after each match. These votes hold varying weights: double for Tests and triple for ODIs compared to T20Is, leading to the final choice for the Belinda Clark Award winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most three-vote performances is declared the winner.

Australia did not participate in any Test matches during the 2026 voting period.