Mitchell Johnson’s return to the elite ranks of the game was formally acknowledged on Monday night when the born-again paceman added Australian cricket’s highest individual honour to his trophy cabinet.
In a shock result, Johnson capped off a herculean summer by running down overwhelming pre-poll favourite Michel Clarke with his heroics in the Ashes, denying the captain what would have been a record-breaking fifth Allan Border Medal.
Clarke began with a commanding lead in the count but Johnson’s 37 wickets at 14 in the Ashes, in which he polled the most votes from players and the media/umpires and won three man-of-the-match awards, catapulted him from sixth to first.
Clarke, however, did not leave the gala ceremony empty handed, winning his fourth Test Player of the Year award and his third in as many years since succeeding Ricky Ponting as skipper in 2011, holding on from a fast-finishing Steve Smith and Chris Rogers.
It was a case of moving from the outhouse to the penthouse for Johnson, who was one of the Mohali four suspended for not doing their homework during the tumultuous series in India.
His career had also been at the crossroads in 2012 after a combination of poor form and serious injury.
”It has been an amazing journey. Coming back from injury and having a lot of doubters I just knew in my own heart that if I had the opportunity again that I could make the most of it,” Johnson said.
George Bailey, dumped from the Test squad earlier in the day, received a small consolation prize by beating James Faulkner for the One Day International award.
”It’s been incredible,” Bailey said of the last 12 months. ”If you are going to play five Tests over a summer you would pick the five we played, it’s been extraordinary.”
Aaron Finch was crowned the best Twenty20 player of the year, due entirely to his scores of 156 and 89 against England and India respectively in the four matches during the voting period.
In other awards, Cameron White’s resurgence secured him the domestic title, ahead of Marcus North and Phil Hughes, while Jordan Silk was adjudged the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year, comfortably beating Ashton Agar and Travis Head.
Meg Lanning won her first Belinda Clark Medal, narrowly defeating Erin Osborne with Sarah Coyte and last year’s winner Jess Cameron sharing third.
