South Australia opening batsman Michael Klinger has been named the State Player of the Year at the 2010 Allan Border Medal for the second consecutive season.
Klinger, who also won the prestigious award in 2009 and is now only the second player to receive the award more than once along with three-time-winner Darren Lehmann, gained an impressive 36 votes to win a closely fought tussle with Victoria’s Chris Rogers (29), Brad Hodge (27) and John Hastings (13).
Klinger was at his dominant best during the 22 matches in the voting period where he scored 1532 runs at an impressive average of 56.74 plundering four 100s and seven 50s.
Continuing his rich vein of form since relocating from Victoria in 2008, Klinger has enjoyed a stellar season with the South Australian Redbacks currently sitting in second place on the Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield leading run scorers table with 655 runs at an average of 109.17 (Three 50s and two 100s). Proving his versatility he also sits second on the chart for the Ford Ranger Cup with 452 runs at an average of 56.50 (two 50s and two 100s).
All Australian contracted first-class cricketers are given one vote to choose the best State Player of the Year. Players were not permitted to vote for their state team-mates.
The voting period for the award included all Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield, Ford Ranger Cup, Australia A and Australian international matches from 24 December 2008 to 1 February 2010.
State Player of the Year – Top 3
Michael Klinger 36 votes
Chris Rogers 29
Brad Hodge 27
Previous Winners
2000 Darren Lehmann
2001 Darren Lehmann
2002 Darren Lehmann
2003 Martin Love
2004 Simon Katich
2005 Andrew Bichel
2006 Phil Jaques
2007 Chris Rogers
2008 Ashley Noffke
2009 Michael Klinger
Michael Klinger
Born: 4 July 1980
Batting style: Right-hand
First Class debut: ACB Cricket Academy v Matabeleland Invitational XI, Bulawayo 1998-99
List-A Debut: Victoria v Tasmania, 1999-2000
Twenty20 Debut: Western Australia v Victoria, 6 January 2006
Statistics in Voting Period
BATTING M INN NO RUNS AVRGE HS 50 100
Michael KLINGER(VIC) 22 33 6 1532 56.74 207* 7 4
Career Statistics (current as at 10 February, 2010)
Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | Ct | St | |
First-class | 57 | 99 | 14 | 3504 | 255 | 41.22 | 8108 | 43.21 | 8 | 15 | 54 | 0 | ||
List A | 75 | 75 | 9 | 2589 | 133* | 39.22 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 0 | ||||
Twenty20 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 223 | 42 | 20.27 | 173 | 128.90 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
Source: Ross Dundas and www.cricinfo.com