Travis Head and Annabel Sutherland have won Australian cricket’s top individual honours for the first time, with momentous Test knocks punctuating their outstanding years.

Head convincingly won the Allan Border Medal, becoming the first South Australian to claim the award.

Sutherland won the Belinda Clark Award days after becoming the first woman to score a Test ton at the MCG.

Her 163 as the all-conquering Australian women capped their Ashes whitewash came after the all-rounder’s 210 a year ago in the Perth Test against South Africa.

Likewise, Head scored three Test tons in the 12-month voting period, as many as the rest of his teammates.

Head’s blistering 140 in his home Test at the Adelaide Oval against India was an undeniable highlight and helped reignite Australia’s series after their dismal Perth loss.

The 31-year-old scored a staggering 1427 runs across all three formats in the 12-month polling period that began with Australia’s home Test series against West Indies last January, and ended with regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Head also took out the one-day player of the year award, again for the first time.

While Head was a favourite for the Border Medal, Sutherland was third in the one-day voting and a distant sixth for the women’s T20 international award.

But she was awarded top votes for the two Tests played by Australia’s women in the voting period over the past 12 months, and the extra weighting for that category was critical.

Sutherland is the daughter of former Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland and sister of Victorian player Will Sutherland.

She paid tribute to her family and particularly her brothers, Will and Tom.

“I wouldn’t be here without you guys. You haven’t made it easy growing up in the backyard and you never backed off, which I’m certainly grateful for now,” she said. 

Loading…

“I wasn’t at the time.

“Mum and Dad … I’m still at home, so they see the up and downs probably more than most.”

While their Ashes triumph is the latest success for the all-powerful Australian women, Sutherland said their surprise exit from the T20 World Cup last October before the final was a bitter memory.

“The group is in a really cool space at the moment. Reflecting on the last 12 months, there have been ups and downs,” she said.

“There’s been a World Cup loss, which didn’t sit overly well. It made me think they’re not actually that easy to win — surprisingly, given our record.

“The way we responded after that World Cup probably just shows the character of that group.”

It is the first time Sutherland has won any of the top women’s categories — the Belinda Clark award, the one-day international or the T20 international player.

Head polled 208 votes for the Border Medal, well clear of Josh Hazlewood’s 158, with Australian Test captain Pat Cummins third on 147.

Sutherland polled 168 to win ahead of Ashleigh Gardner, who won the Belinda Clark award last year.

Gardner polled 143 and Beth Mooney was third on 115, with Gardner and Mooney two-time winners.

While none of the top men’s winners were at the Monday night awards function in Melbourne due mostly to the current tour of Sri Lanka, the women were celebrating in the room after they dominated the Ashes series.

There appeared to be a drinking game among the Australian women, with “whitewash” the key word.

Head received his medal from Australian coach Andrew McDonald, in a video played at the awards ceremony.

“It’s pretty hard to believe — it’s been a good year, very pleased with how the team’s gone,” Head said.

“It’s a nice accomplishment and I will enjoy it.

“I love what I do, with this bunch of boys, and it’s been a hell of a 12 months. I look forward to playing well, but maybe not doing this all the time so I have to talk on stage or do interviews.”

Adam Zampa and Mooney were named the top T20 international players, while Gardner took out the women’s one-day category and Hazlewood the men’s Test honour. Sam Konstas was named the Bradman young men’s cricketer of the year.

Also on Monday night, Michael Clarke, Michael Bevan and Christine Matthews were officially inducted into the Cricket Australia Hall Of Fame.

AAP